HM Treasury

Motor Vehicles: Insurance

Andy Slaughter: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether his Department plans to use any of its statutory regulatory powers to ensure that there is the reduction in the cost of car insurance referred to in paragraph 1.143 of the Spending Review and Autumn Statement 2015.

Harriett Baldwin: The pricing of insurance products is a commercial matter for individual insurers in which the Government does not seek to intervene. The motor insurance market is intensely competitive and the Government therefore expects that the insurance industry will pass on savings to consumers.Some insurers have already committed to pass on all savings to consumers as a result of the proposed changes.

Treasury: Stoke on Trent

Tristram Hunt: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many jobs in (a) his Department and (b) each of its non-departmental public bodies, executive agencies, non-ministerial departments, advisory bodies and other accountable statutory bodies (i) have been abolished or relocated from Stoke-on-Trent since 2010 and (ii) will be abolished in or relocated from Stoke-on-Trent by 2020.

Harriett Baldwin: No jobs within HM Treasury, Office for Budget Responsibility , Government Internal Audit Agency, Debt Management Office and Government Actuaries Department have been abolished or relocated from Stoke-on-Trent since 2010 and there are currently no plans for any to be abolished or relocated from Stoke-on-Trent by 2020.As announced in November 2015, HM Revenue and Customs plans to close Blackburn House in Stoke-on-Trent in 2019/20. The 256 posts currently in Stoke will transfer to new regional centres and the Department has committed to working with its staff to ensure that as many of those who do want to continue working for HMRC will be able to do so.

Treasury: Cardiff

Stephen Doughty: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, who his Ministerial private office informed of his plans to visit Cardiff on 7 January 2016; by what method they so informed those people and on what date those communications took place.

Harriett Baldwin: The Chancellor’s visit to Cardiff on 7 January 2016 was made in accordance with the specifications of the Ministerial Code.

Loans: Republic of Ireland

Mr Gregory Campbell: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how much is outstanding of the loan to the Irish Republic given in 2010; how much of that loan has been paid back; and what estimate he has made of when the balance of that loan will be repaid in full.

Mr David Gauke: This information can be found in the most recent statutory report which the Treasury provided to Parliament as required by Section 2 of the Loans to Ireland Act 2010. The last report was published on the 15 October 2015 and is available here along with all previous reports submitted:https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/bilateral-loan-to-irelandThis report shows the outstanding principal is £3,226,960,000, with repayments due in tranches from 15 April 2019 until 26 March 2021. Since the publication of the report, a further interest payment of £41,998,674.42 was made by the Republic of Ireland on 15 December 2015.

Money Laundering

Mr Charles Walker: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimate his Department has made of the annual cost to the financial services sector of compliance with money laundering regulations in each of the last five years.

Harriett Baldwin: The Government's Anti-Money Laundering regime has a clear aim: to make the UK financial system a hostile environment for illicit finances, while minimising the burden on legitimate businesses and reducing the overall burden of regulation.The government conducts an impact assessment when updating the Money Laundering Regulations, which were last amended in 2012, and will shortly publish an impact assessment alongside a consultation on the transposition of the EU’s Fourth Anti-Money Laundering Directive. However, the government does not make annual assessments of the cost of compliance and the FCA, as the supervisor of the financial services sector, also does not undertake such assessments on the basis that regulated firms are generally unable to provide costs specifically for compliance with the money laundering regulations given that these costs accrue in relation to systems and controls that manage a variety of operational risks, both relating to financial crime and for other conduct and prudential reasons.Bearing in mind to objective of minimizing burdens on legitimate businesses, the Government has launched a review of the impact of the current Anti-Money laundering and terrorist finance regime as part of the Cutting Red Tape Review programme. The Review is specifically seeking evidence on the role of supervisors in that regime, so that regulatory activity can be made as efficient as possible. A report is expected in the coming months and this will inform the work that the government is doing to reform the regime as part of the Action Plan to address weaknesses identified by last year’s National Risk Assessment of Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing risks.

Revenue and Customs: Preston

Mr Mark Hendrick: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what timescales the Tax Credit Office in Preston has in place to respond to representations made by hon. Members by (a) telephone, (b) email and (c) letter; and how this Office performed against these timescales in the last reporting year.

Mr David Gauke: HM Revenue and Customs’ (HMRC) Tax Credit Office aim to prioritise and respond to representations from hon. Members as soon as possible, irrespective of the route by which they are received. HMRC do not, however, routinely record and collate performance against specific timescales for such representations.

Tax Avoidance

Sue Hayman: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what progress his Department has made on reducing levels of tax avoidance by large corporations; and if he will make a statement.

Mr David Gauke: The UK initiated the G20/OECD Base Erosion and Profit Shifting project and has already taken action to implement two of the internationally agreed outputs with domestic legislation to introduce country-by-reporting and rules to address hybrid mismatches.In addition, the UK played a key role in securing the successful EU agreement on automatically exchanging information on tax rulings, reached at the ECOFIN Council in October 2015.Complementary to international efforts to tackle this issue, we introduced the Diverted Profits Tax from April 2015 to counteract the diversion of profits from the UK by large multinational enterprises.In the summer Budget 2015 we legislated to improve the effectiveness of our Controlled Foreign Company (CFC) regime by removing the ability for companies to use UK losses and reliefs against their CFC charge.

Taxation: Self-assessment

Alan Brown: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, with reference to the letter of the Financial Secretary to the Treasury on making tax digital, dated 11 January 2016, for what reasons the increased revenue from a more accurate digital tax return system has been estimated at £600 million per annum given that the current tax gap due to errors made by small businesses has been estimated in that letter at £6.5 billion.

Mr David Gauke: HM Revenue and Customs remains committed to narrowing the overall tax gap. The policy costings for Making Tax Digital can be found in the publication Spending Review and Autumn Statement 2015: policy costings.https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/480565/SRAS2015_policy_costings_amended_page_25.pdf

Illegal Money Lending Team

Jim McMahon: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what his policy is on the future funding of illegal money lending teams.

Harriett Baldwin: The Government is exploring a number of options to ensure that the England and Wales Illegal Money Lending Teams have the funding they need to ensure that consumers continue to be protected from illegal loan sharks and is confident of transitional arrangements being agreed.

Minimum Wage

Mr Jim Cunningham: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimate his Department has made of the number of companies issued fines for underpayment of the minimum wage in each of the last five years; what the total value of such fines issued is; and if he will make a statement.

Mr David Gauke: The Government is committed to increasing compliance with minimum wage legislation and effective enforcement of it. Everyone who is entitled to the minimum wage should receive it.Employers who pay workers less than the minimum wage not only have to pay back arrears of wages at current minimum wage rates but also face financial penalties of up to £20,000 per underpaid worker. A further increase in penalties will come into force in April 2016 and will increase the penalty percentage from 100% to 200% of the underpayments owed to each worker, up to the existing maximum.I refer the honourable member to the answers provided at UIN 18487 and UIN 205613 for the information on penalties charged on employers.

Spirits: Excise Duties

Mr Alistair Carmichael: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how much the Exchequer received in spirit duty between April and December (a) 2015 and (b) 2014.

Damian Hinds: Monthly receipts from duties on spirits that are released for consumption in the UK are published in HMRC’s monthly publication ‘HMRC Tax Receipts and National Insurance Contributions for the UK’:https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/hmrc-tax-and-nics-receipts-for-the-ukReceipts for December 2015 have not yet been published. In compliance with the UK Statistics Code of Practice, the provisional figures for December 2015 receipts will be released in the next publication on 22 January 2016.

Environment Protection: Taxation

Dan Jarvis: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment his Department has made of the effect of the Carbon Price Floor tax on energy intensive industries.

Damian Hinds: The government recognises that the increased cost of electricity in the UK, as a result of the Carbon Price Floor (CPF), has an impact on the competitiveness of energy intensive industries that operate in international markets. This is why the most energy intensive industries are compensated for up to 85% of the indirect costs of the Carbon Price Floor – this is greatest amount currently allowed under EU law.

European Union Solidarity Fund

Sue Hayman: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how much of the money received from the European Union Solidarity Fund has been returned to the EU in each of the last 10 years.

Mr David Gauke: Financial aid provided by the EUSF is reported on annually through the European Commission’s European Union Solidarity Fund Annual Report.Annual reports can be found by searching at the following link:http://ec.europa.eu/regional_policy/en/information/publications/]

European Union Solidarity Fund

Sue Hayman: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how much money the UK has received from the European Union Solidarity Fund in each of the last 10 years.

Mr David Gauke: Financial aid provided by the EUSF is reported on annually through the European Commission’s European Union Solidarity Fund Annual Report. Annual reports can be found by searching at the following link:http://ec.europa.eu/regional_policy/en/information/publications/

Taxation: Self-assessment

Jim Shannon: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps his Department is taking to encourage people to submit their tax returns before the January deadline.

Mr David Gauke: The vast majority of Self Assessment customers complete their returns on time (92% last year).This year, HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) is sending millions of targeted emails and texts to remind customers to submit their return by 31 January, for instance to customers who missed the deadline last year or those who are new to Self Assessment. Alongside this, HMRC is running a national marketing campaign to remind customers of the 31 January deadline. Support is available to those who need it as HMRC is putting hundreds of extra people on its helplines during this very busy period, and has introduced new support channels like webchat and online video guidance.

Financial Services: Taxation

Richard Drax: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment he has made of the potential implications for the UK of any introduction of a financial transaction tax under the EU enhanced co-operation procedure.

Harriett Baldwin: The Member States participating in negotiations to introduce a Financial Transaction Tax (FTT) under enhanced co-operation are yet to agree many fundamental aspects of the tax. Until these are agreed the implications for the UK will not be clear.The Chancellor has been clear since the enhanced co-operation FTT was first proposed that any new tax must respect the rights of non-participating Member States, including the UK. We continue to follow the negotiations closely, and remain prepared to challenge the FTT at the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) if our legal concerns with the Commission’s original proposal are not addressed.

Wines: Excise Duties

Tim Loughton: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how much HM Revenue and Customs received in wine duty between April and December (a) 2015 and (b) 2014.

Damian Hinds: Monthly receipts from duties on wine that is released for consumption in the UK are published in HMRC’s monthly publication ‘HMRC Tax Receipts and National Insurance Contributions for the UK’:https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/hmrc-tax-and-nics-receipts-for-the-ukReceipts for December 2015 have not yet been published. In compliance with the UK Statistics Code of Practice, the provisional figures for December 2015 receipts will be released in the next publication on 22 January 2016.

Alcoholic Drinks: Excise Duties

Tim Loughton: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will support the UK's wine and spirit industry with further duty cuts in 2016.

Damian Hinds: The government continues to keep all taxes under review and decisions on tax policy are made by the Chancellor as part of the Budget process. Any changes to alcohol duties would need to take account of a wide range of factors, including the Exchequer impact, the impact on businesses, public health and the distributional impact of reform.The government is committed to supporting the UK wine andspirits industry. The duty onspirits was cut by 2% at March Budget 2015, building on the duty freeze at Budget 2014. The duty on wines below 22% abv has been frozen since March Budget 2015.

Cooperative Bank

Richard Burden: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what (a) discussions he has had with the Cooperative Bank and (b) what representations he has received on its decision to close bank accounts belonging to groups campaigning on matters relating to Israel and Palestine; and if he will make a statement.

Harriett Baldwin: Treasury Ministers and officials receive representations and have meetings with a wide variety of organisations in the public and private sectors as part of the process of policy development and delivery.Details of ministerial and permanent secretary meetings with external organisations on departmental business are published on a quarterly basis and are available at:https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/hmt-ministers-meetings-hospitality-gifts-and-overseas-travel

Refugees: Syria

Catherine McKinnell: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps his Department is taking to ensure the target of 20,000 resettled Syrian refugees is met by the end of this Parliament.

Greg Hands: At the Spending Review we announced that over £460 million of the overseas aid budget will be used by 2019-20 to resettle 20,000 of the most vulnerable Syrian refugees, covering the full first year costs to ease the burden on local communities. The Spending Review also provided around a further £130 million by 2019-20 to local authorities to contribute to the costs of supporting refugees beyond their first year in the UK.The Home Office will administer this scheme in partnership with other departments, international agencies, local authorities and the voluntary sector.

Children: Day Care

Catherine McKinnell: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, with reference to his Department's press release of 1 July 2015, on tax-free childcare, how he plans to roll-out the delivery of tax-free childcare.

Damian Hinds: As the Government press release of 1 July confirmed, Tax-Free Childcare will be launched from early 2017, with the scheme rolled out gradually to all eligible parents within a year.We will provide further details of our rollout plans in due course, in good time for parents and childcare providers to prepare for the introduction of Tax-Free Childcare.

Debts

Mr Gregory Campbell: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimate he has made of total household debt in the UK in the final quarter of 2015.

Harriett Baldwin: The latest figures available for household debt are for Q3 2015. In Q3 2015 household debt fell to 142 per cent of household income, down from its peak of 168 per cent in Q1 2008.

Individual Savings Accounts

Rachel Reeves: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what his policy is on increasing the annual limit for ISA contributions.

Harriett Baldwin: As announced at Autumn Statement 2015, the annual ISA subscription limit for 2016-17 is being maintained at its current level of £15,240. However, the government keeps all aspects of the tax system under review.

Individual Savings Accounts

Rachel Reeves: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many people currently hold ISAs worth more than £1 million.

Rachel Reeves: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimate he has made of the amount of income accruing to the Exchequer annually if ISA returns became taxable on pots greater than (a) £250,000, (b) £500,000 and (c) £1 million.

Rachel Reeves: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimate he has made of the value and proportion of tax relief provided on ISA investments across the income distribution.

Harriett Baldwin: HM Revenue and Customs publishes detailed statistics relating to Individual Savings Accounts on Gov.uk. Links given below:https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/487119/Dec15_expenditure_reliefs_Final.xlsx.pdf)https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/423438/Table_9.10_2012-13_for_publication.pdf).

Fuels: VAT

Mr Philip Hollobone: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how much accrued to the public purse through VAT on domestic fuel in the last year for which figures are available.

Mr David Gauke: The information requested is not available. HM Revenue and Customs does not collect data on VAT accruals from particular goods and services.

Revenue and Customs: Middlesbrough

Andy McDonald: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will make an assessment of the benefits of retaining the existing HM Revenue and Customs' operation in Middlesbrough.

Mr David Gauke: HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) announced the planned locations of its future Regional Centres based on a number of key principles that will enable it to deliver more for less. In addition to cost, these include quality of local and national transport links, the local labour market and future workforce supply, the retention of current staff and skills and capacity to host multiple lines of business which are required to continue its transformation.HMRC’s plans to open a Regional Centre in Newcastle in 2018-19 demonstrate its long-term commitment to the North East. It intends to remain in Washington as a transitional site until 2024-25.

Air Passenger Duty: Northern Ireland

Danny Kinahan: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimate he has made of business lost to the Northern Ireland economy from the maintained level of air passenger duty.

Damian Hinds: The government has devolved control over the direct long-haul rate of air passenger duty to the Northern Ireland Assembly (NIA). The NIA has set this rate at zero.In March 2015, the Northern Ireland Executive (NIE) published an economic impact assessment on air passenger duty. The report informed the NIE’s decision not to pursue devolution of the short haul rate.

Department for Work and Pensions

Low Incomes

Phil Boswell: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment he has made of the implications for his polices of the conclusion of the Joseph Rowntree Foundation report, entitled Monitoring Poverty and Social Exclusion 2015, that the number of people in low-income working households has risen from 5.2 million to 6.7 million in the last 10 years.

Priti Patel: The Department carefully considers all relevant publications.The number of people in in-work relative low income is 200,000 lower than at its peak in 2008/09. Moreover, Universal Credit, our investment in childcare, the National Living Wage, and our increase in the personal tax allowance will support individuals and working households by enabling them to earn more and keep more of what they earn.

Low Incomes: Cost of Living

Phil Boswell: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment he has made of the implications for his polices of the conclusion of the Joseph Rowntree Foundation report, entitled Monitoring Poverty and Social Exclusion 2015, that the proportion of families in the bottom fifth of income distribution with no savings rose to 69 per cent over the last 10 years partly due to the rising cost of living

Priti Patel: The Department carefully considers all relevant publications.The Prime Minister recently announced that the Government is bringing forward a ‘help to save’ scheme to encourage those on low incomes to build up a rainy day fund. The Government has also taken significant steps to support the credit union movement to help people to save and access responsible credit.

Low Incomes: Cost of Living

Phil Boswell: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment he has made of the implications for his polices of the conclusion of the Joseph Rowntree Foundation report, entitled Monitoring Poverty and Social Exclusion 2015, that people in the bottom fifth of income distribution saw their living costs increase faster than average because they spent more money on essential goods.

Priti Patel: The Department carefully considers all relevant publications.We know that work is the best route out of poverty and that is why we are reforming welfare and cutting taxes to make sure work always pays and people get to keep more of what they earn. The annual average income of the poorest fifth of households has risen in real terms, compared to 2007/08. Looking forward, working families can expect to see their earnings increase, with average earnings growth expected to reach around 4% a year by 2020, while the current OBR forecast is for inflation to remain relatively low over the next two years.

Carer's Allowance

Dr   Poulter: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many recipients of carer's allowance were in receipt of (a) attendance allowance and (b) personal independence payment in the most recent period for which figures are available.

Dr   Poulter: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many carers were (a) in receipt of and (b) have an underlying entitlement to carer's allowance as a result of caring for someone who is in receipt of (i) attendance allowance, (ii) personal independence payment and (iii) disability living allowance.

Justin Tomlinson: The information requested is not readily available and could only be provided at disproportionate cost.

State Retirement Pensions: Females

Jim Shannon: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what discussions his Department has had with the Northern Ireland Executive on the transition to the equalised state pension for women affected by those changes.

Justin Tomlinson: The Department for Work and Pensions and the Department for Social Development in Northern Ireland are in regular contact on the range of pensions issues. Additionally, DWP Ministers meet from time to time with the Northern Ireland Minister for Social Development to discuss matters of common interest. Indeed, the Minister for Pensions is scheduled to meet the Minister for Social Development next month to discuss a number of pension matters.

Department for Work and Pensions: UK Membership of EU

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what contingency arrangements his Department has made for the eventuality of a majority leave vote in the upcoming EU referendum.

Priti Patel: I refer the Honourable Gentleman to the reply given by the Prime Minister on 14 January 2016http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2016-01-11/21952/

National Insurance: Immigrants

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many national insurance numbers have been issued to migrants from Eastern European countries in the last two years; how many of those numbers are being used; and if he will make a statement.

Priti Patel: The available information for the number of foreign nationals registered for national insurance numbers is published and can be found at:https://stat-xplore.dwp.gov.ukGuidance on how to extract the information required can be found at:https://sw.stat-xplore.dwp.gov.uk/webapi/online-help/Getting-Started---SuperWEB2.htmlInformation relating to how many of these National Insurance numbers are being used can only be provided at disproportionate cost.

Mesothelioma: Compensation

Ian Lavery: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether the Government plans to set a levy of at least three per cent of gross working premium on insurers to fund the Diffuse Mesothelioma Payments Scheme.

Justin Tomlinson: The levy will be set at a figure estimated to meet the cost of the Diffuse Mesothelioma Payment Scheme for 2015/16. This figure falls within industry expectations and below 3 per cent of employers’ liability gross written premium.A Ministerial written statement (HCWS460) was tabled in the House of Commons on 12 January 2016 and provides details of the Diffuse Mesothelioma Payment Scheme levy for 2015/16.

Families: Advisory Services

Luciana Berger: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, with reference to the Prime Minister's announcement of extra funding for relationship support of 11 January 2016, how many hours of support will be provided to each couple; and whether there will be a financial cost to each couple for that support.

Luciana Berger: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, with reference to the Prime Minister's announcement of 11 January 2016 on parenting classes, (a) how many hours of such classes will be provided to parents and (b) whether there will be a cost to parents participating in such classes.

Priti Patel: The Department will be working through the details of what will be provided by the contracted relationship support provision in the next few months.

Personal Independence Payment

Ian Murray: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what estimate he has made of how many claimants for personal independence payment have been asked to pay for a letter from their GP explaining their impairments or disability whilst being moved from disability living allowance to personal independence payment.

Ian Murray: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what guidance is provided to GPs on charging patients for letters used to apply for benefits and transition from disability living allowance to personal independence payment.

Justin Tomlinson: Claimants are advised during the Personal Independence Payment (PIP) claim process that they should not request any documents from their GP that they may be charged fees for. Where an Assessment Provider requires further medical evidence to assist in completing the assessment report they may request a GP Factual Report (GPFR). GPs are paid a prearranged fee by assessment providers for GPFRs as the information requested is not included in their contractual agreement. As independent contractors GPs are permitted to charge their patient a fee as the provision of the report is outside their contractual obligations. The BMA provides guidance on appropriate levels of fees for different types of reports.

Universal Credit: Telephone Services

Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what guidance his Department gives to Jobcentre Plus staff on alerting applicants to the possibility of applying for universal credit by telephone rather than online.

Priti Patel: The main route to access Universal Credit (UC) is through digital channels. Where a claimant is unable to access the on-line service, departmental guidance directs staff to advise claimants of the UC helpline number to make a claim.

Universal Credit: Payments

Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many and what proportion of recipients of their first universal credit payment received an advance payment of that credit in 2015.

Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what the average wait has been for the first universal credit payment following receipt of a successful application since the introduction of that credit.

Priti Patel: The information you have requested is not currently available.During 2016 we will be increasing the range of statistics on Universal Credit which will be published in accordance with the relevant protocols in the Code of Practice for Official Statistics.

Social Security Benefits

Frank Field: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many households in each parliamentary constituency will be affected by the new benefit cap from April 2016; and what the mean amount of benefit capped will be in each constituency.

Justin Tomlinson: We will confirm roll out plans after the Welfare Reform and Work Bill has received Royal Assent.A breakdown by local authority of the estimated number of households potentially affected by the benefit cap will be provided to local authorities in due course.

Universal Credit

Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to the Answer of 11 January 2016 to Question 21337, for those claimants who will see a change, what the average weekly change will be for those claimants who will see a change in their universal credit.

Priti Patel: It is not possible to accurately estimate this information as many people’s earnings vary from month to month. This means we do not have a viable data set on which to answer the question.

Cold Weather Payments

Emma Reynolds: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many cold weather payments have been made in each constituency in each year since their introduction; and what the total value of such payments has been.

Justin Tomlinson: Information on cold weather payments by constituencies is not available.

Occupational Pensions

Rachel Reeves: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what estimate he has made of the number of people who do not qualify to be auto-enrolled into a pension because their qualifying earnings are achieved by income from more than one job.

Justin Tomlinson: The Department’s estimate of this figure can be found in Workplace pensions: Update of analysis on Automatic Enrolment, DWP, available at:https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/460867/workplace-pensions-update-analysis-auto-enrolment.pdfAutomatic enrolment was designed to help more people save for their retirement, including lower earners and those with more than one job. We want to ensure that as many people as possible have the opportunity to save for retirement, and we have seen great success in this so far. However, we need to strike a balance between ensuring as many people as possible have access to saving, and administrative simplicity for employers.Workers earning more than £10,000 a year (£192 a week) and aged between 22 and state pension age must be automatically enrolled by their employer. Workers who do not qualify for automatic enrolment and who are aged between 16 and 75 years can choose to opt-in to a workplace pension scheme; and if the worker earns more than £5,824 a year (£112 a week) they will be entitled to a mandatory contribution from their employer.

Universal Credit

Frank Field: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what his policy is on the continuation of payments for legacy benefits to claimants being transferred to universal credit until a first universal credit payment is received.

Priti Patel: The Department for Work and Pensions has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Universal Credit: ICT

Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, with reference to the statement in his Department's press release of 1 November 2011, entitled Iain Duncan Smith sets out next steps for moving claimants onto universal credit, on what dates since 1 November 2011 his Department has calculated the proportion of new technology required to deliver universal credit which is complete; and what that proportion was on each of those dates.

Priti Patel: I refer my Rt. Hon. Member to the answer I gave on the 11 January 2016 UIN21335

Work Capability Assessment: Location

Frank Field: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps he has taken to enable applicants who have suffered from a stroke, heart attack or any other major health scare to access a work capability assessment of medical assessment within a 90 minute journey.

Priti Patel: A home consultation can be offered, in particular where a claimant is unable to travel to a consultation as a result of their health condition or impairment. Home visits are offered when the claimant provides confirmation via their own health professional which indicates that they are unable to travel on health grounds or at a claimant’s request where the assessment provider’s health professional determines this is appropriate for their health condition or disability.

Winter Fuel Payments: British Nationals Abroad

Owen Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what the results were of temperature tests to determine eligibility to receive winter fuel allowance of people living abroad in 2015.

Justin Tomlinson: The winter fuel payment eligibility criteria for people who normally live in the EEA, was changed for winter 2015-16. A temperature criterion was introduced by the DWP using information from a report it commissioned from the Met Office. This report showed the average winter temperature data for each EEA country and Switzerland and for the regions of the UK. The Met Office report was produced in 2012 and used information from a dataset for the reference period 1961-1990 available through the Climatic Research Unit of the University of East Anglia.The average winter temperature in the warmest part of the UK, the South West, is 5.6oC. This point is the basis for the changes made to the winter fuel payment eligibility criteria. People living in countries with an average winter temperature of no more than 5.6oC, or a temperature that is close enough to that to be statistically equivalent, are eligible for a winter fuel payment.

Winter Fuel Payments: British Nationals Abroad

Owen Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many temperature tests there were to determine eligibility to receive winter fuel allowance of people living abroad in 2015.

Justin Tomlinson: The winter fuel payment eligibility criteria for people who normally live in the EEA, was changed for winter 2015-16. A temperature criterion was introduced by the DWP using information from a report it commissioned from the Met Office. This report showed the average winter temperature data for each EEA country and Switzerland and for the regions of the UK. The Met Office report was produced in 2012 and used information from a dataset for the reference period 1961-1990 available through the Climatic Research Unit of the University of East Anglia.The average winter temperature in the warmest part of the UK, the South West, is 5.6oC. This point is the basis for the changes made to the winter fuel payment eligibility criteria. People living in countries with an average winter temperature of no more than 5.6oC, or a temperature that is close enough to that to be statistically equivalent, are eligible for a winter fuel payment.

Universal Credit: Correspondence

Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to the Answer of 12 January 2016 to Question 21590, how many universal credit claimants his Department expects to notify.

Priti Patel: The information requested is not currently available.

Employment and Support Allowance: Jobseeker's Allowance

Helen Goodman: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many people were moved from receipt of employment and support allowance to jobseeker's allowance because they did not meet the new points standard in each quarter of 2015.

Priti Patel: This is not readily available and to provide it would incur disproportionate cost.

Home Office

Immigration: Interpreters

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the cost to the public purse was of her Department's employment of interpreters for immigration purposes in 2014-15; and what the roles and responsibilities were of those interpreters, beyond assisting with the processing of refugee applications.

James Brokenshire: The total spend on interpreters in 2014-15 was £749,746 for Border Force, £1,455,375 for Immigration Enforcement and £5,366,622 for UK Visas and Immigration (Asylum) for translation in asylum claims.Responsibilities include but are not limited to enabling a full and accurate two way interpretation service whilst not impeding the progress of any formal interviews or encounters.

Vetting

Tulip Siddiq: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many (a) requests were made for and (b) individuals passed Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) adult first checks in each year since 2012; what the average time taken was for that check to be carried out; and how many of those passed subsequently failed their DBS check, and were therefore not issued  with a DBS certificate.

Karen Bradley: The Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) Adult First is a service provided by the Disclosure and Barring Service that can be used in cases where, exceptionally, and in accordance with the terms of Department of Health guidance, a person is permitted to start work with adults before a DBS Certificate has been obtained.An individual neither passes nor fails an Adult First check and a certificate is not withheld if a person is on the Adults barred list. If a person is on the list, that fact will be disclosed on the completed DBS certificate.There are two outcomes to an Adult First check and the Registered Body is either advised that no match exists for this person on the current Adults barred list, or they must wait for the full disclosure as a match against the Adults barred list cannot be ruled out at this stage. Further investigation is then carried out through the normal disclosure checking process and if a match against the Adults barred list is confirmed, it will be disclosed on the certificate.The table below shows the number of requests that were made for DBS Adult First checks, the average time taken to complete Adult First checks and the number of times the Registered Body received a ‘wait for the full disclosure’ or ‘no match found’ response between December 2012 and November 2015.PeriodNumber of Adult First RequestsAverage Number of Days to Conduct Adult First CheckNumber of “No Match Found” responsesNumber of “wait for full Disclosure” responsesDec-12 to Mar-1350,1751.0739,20010,975Apr-13 to Mar-14166,2871.08130,33335,954Apr-14 to Mar-15173,5031.19135,79237,711Apr-15 to Nov-15116,6021.0691,78224,820

Vetting

Tulip Siddiq: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many referrals the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) received for DBS checks from (a) local authorities, (b) keepers of statutory professional registers and (c) supervisory authorities in each year since 2012.

Karen Bradley: The following table provides the number of disclosure checks received for “Keepers of Registers” and “Supervisory Authorities” in each year since December 2012. Information relating to local authorities cannot be provided without incurring disproportionate cost.Number of disclosure check receiptsPeriodKeepers of RegistersSupervisory AuthoritiesDecember -12 to March-133005,140April -13 to March -142,62442,694April -14 to March -152,15670,966April -15 to November -1530843,474

Asylum: Scotland

Stuart C. McDonald: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many refused asylum seekers with dependants have been supported in Scotland under section 95 of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999 for (a) up to two years, (b) more than two years and (c) more than four years.

James Brokenshire: Holding answer received on 11 January 2016



The table below shows the number of failed asylum seekers that have been supported under section 95 for the requested periods. This data defines refused asylum seekers as those who have been found to not require international protection and have received a final decision on their application.Time on Support CountUnder 2 Years 251Under 4 Years 120Over 4 Years 13Total = 384

Asylum: Finance

Stuart C. McDonald: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many refused asylum seekers with dependants have been supported under section 95 of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999 for (a) up to two years, (b) more than two years and (c) more than four years.

James Brokenshire: Holding answer received on 11 January 2016



The table below shows the number of failed asylum seekers that have been supported under section 95 for the requested periods. This data defines refused asylum seekers as those who have been found to not require international protection and have received a final decision on their application.Time On Support CountUnder 2 Years 1903Under 4 Years 1283Over 4 Years 249Total = 3435

Asylum: Scotland

Stuart C. McDonald: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many refused asylum seekers have been supported in Scotland under section 4 of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999 for (a) up to two years, (b) more than two years and (c) more than four years.

James Brokenshire: Holding answer received on 11 January 2016



The table below shows the number of failed asylum seekers that have been supported under section 4 for the requested periods. This data defines refused asylum seekers as those who have been found to not require international protection and have received a final decision on their application.Time on Support CountUnder 2 Years 52Under 4 Years 26Over 4 Years 2Total = 80

Refugees

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many refugees who have been admitted to the UK since 2010 (a) have since returned to their country of origin and (b) her Department is in regular contact with.

James Brokenshire: If the Home Office grants refugee status to an applicant, we would not seek to remove them from the UK as a ‘failed asylum seeker’. It has been assumed the question is about how many refugees who have settled in the UK, have since returned to their country of origin.The Home Office does not hold information on the number of people who have settled and been granted refugee status in the UK, who have since returned to their country of origin. If refugees return to their country of origin the Home Office does not keep in regular contact.

Asylum: Finance

Stuart C. McDonald: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many refused asylum seekers have been supported under section 4 of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999 for (a) up to two years, (b) more than two years and (c) more than four years.

James Brokenshire: Holding answer received on 11 January 2016



The table below shows the number of failed asylum seekers that have been supported under section 4 for the requested periods. This data defines refused asylum seekers as those who have been found to not require international protection and have received a final decision on their application.Time On Support CountUnder 2 Years 388Under 4 Years 229Over 4 Years 50Total = 667

Detention Centres

Gavin Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the average duration of stay in an immigration holding or removal centre was in the last year.

James Brokenshire: The table below shows the latest available information on length of detention, in bands, as at the 30 September 2015. The Home Office publishes length of detention figures in bands as average figures can be skewed by the small number of people detained for longer periods.People in detention by length of detentionas at 30 September 2015:A: 3 days or less373B: 4 to 7 days278C: 8 to 14 days418D: 15 to 28 days598E: 29 days to less than 2 months773F: 2 months to less than 3 months371G: 3 months to less than 4 months206H: 4 months to less than 6 months189I: 6 months to less than 12 months189J: 12 months to less than 18 months82K: 18 months to less than 24 months36L: 24 months to less than 36 months14M: 36 months to less than 48 months3N: 48 months or more1Total3,531Published figures on people detained in the United Kingdom solely under Immigration Act powers include those held in short term holding facilities, pre departure accommodation and immigration removal centres. Figures exclude those held in police cells, Prison Service establishments, short term holding rooms at ports and airports (for less than 24 hours), and those recorded as detained under both criminal and immigration powers and their dependants. The period of detention starts when a person first enters the Home Office detention estate. If the person is then moved from a removal centre to a police cell or Prison Service establishment, this period of stay will be included if the detention is solely under Immigration Act powers.The Home Office publishes quarterly and annual statistics on the number of people detained in the United Kingdom for immigration purposes, within the Immigration Statistics release on the GOV.UK website: https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/home-office/series/immigration-statistics-quarterly-release

Detention Centres

Gavin Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the longest length of time is that a person has spent in an immigration holding or detention centre in the last five years.

James Brokenshire: Information on the length of detention has been published since quarter 1 (January to March) 2010.The longest time a person has been detained in the immigration estate - a foreign criminal who left detention and was returned to Algeria in Q1 2012 - was 2,319 days. The individual in this case had accumulated 14 convictions from 32 offences committed between 1998 and 2004, including - but not limited to - convictions for firearms/ shotguns/offensive weapons, drug offences, offences relating to police/courts/prisons and theft. He was continuously non-compliant with the Home Office and Algerian authorities, using a false identity and nationality, which frustrated attempts to obtain travel documentation to facilitate his deportation. His continued non-compliance, deception and a history of absconding led to detention being prolonged. This information does not include those held in prisons solely under Immigration Act powers.The Home Office publishes quarterly and annual statistics on the number of people detained in the United Kingdom for immigration purposes, within the Immigration Statistics release on the GOV.UK website: https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/home-office/series/immigration-statistics-quarterly-release

Donald Trump

Greg Mulholland: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will make an assessment of the applicability to Donald Trump of her Department's guidelines on excluding hate speakers from entering the UK.

James Brokenshire: The Government has a policy of not routinely commenting on individual immigration or exclusion cases.

US President: Candidates

Greg Mulholland: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will make an assessment of the potential threat to minority communities in the UK of language used by US presidential election candidates which her Department defines as extreme.

Karen Bradley: HM Government does not routinely comment on assessments of alleged extremist behaviour by individuals. Tackling the threat that extremism poses to all UK communities is at the heart of HMG’s Counter-Extremism Strategy, and we are working in partnership with communities across the country to do so.In July 2015, the Prime Minister charged Louise Casey with carrying out a review of ways to boost integration in UK communities to combat the divisive threat of extremism. An interim report for the review is due to be published in the early part of this year.

Terrorism

Christian Matheson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many terrorism-related suspects on police bail have (a) been ordered to relinquish and (b) relinquished their UK passports since January 2013.

Christian Matheson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many terrorism-offence related suspects on police bail are understood by her Department to have broken bail and left the UK since January 2013.

Mr John Hayes: Individuals suspected of terrorism-related offences can be arrested under the Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984 (PACE) or the Terrorism Act 2000 (TACT). The decision on which power of arrest to use is an operational judgement for police, and will depend on the circumstances of the case.Individuals arrested under TACT cannot be released on police bail. By contrast, those suspected of terrorism-related offences arrested under PACE must be bailed once the grounds for detention no longer apply. Figures for the number of terrorism-related suspects on police bail that have been ordered to relinquish their passports, or have relinquished their passports, are not collected.As the Secretary of State for the Home Department said in the House on 05 January 2016, figures for the number of people who have absconded whilst on police bail for terrorism offences are also not collected.Figures for those who fail to surrender to bail are collected, but these figures are not separated into categories of offence. These figures are publically available and can be found as follows: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/criminal-justice-system-statistics-quarterly-december-2014

Fire Services: Floods

Kevin Brennan: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will bring forward legislative proposals for a statutory duty for fire and rescue services to respond to flooding.

Mike Penning: The Hon. Member will be aware that the Prime Minister announced on 5 January 2016 that responsibility for fire policy was being transferred to the Home Secretary with immediate effect. I am, therefore, answering the Hon Member’s question as Fire Minister. As fire is a devolved matter in Wales, my response applies only to England.Fire and Rescue Authorities are required to put in place integrated risk management plans, coordinated with the community risk registers produced by Local Resilience Forums. These documents should identify the full range of risks to which fire and rescue services should be able to respond. The effective response of fire and rescue services to the recent flooding demonstrates that the system is working.I would like to take this opportunity to thank all those at the frontline involved in that response. The commitment and dedication they showed throughout the Christmas and New Year period in helping communities affected to deal with the largescale flooding and to rebuild their lives afterwards is a demonstration of public service at its very best.

Asylum: Kuwait

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when she estimates her Department's investigations into applications for family reunion from Kuwaiti Bidoon people will be concluded; how many such application are outstanding in that category; when the earliest such application under that category that remains outstanding was submitted; and if she will make a statement.

James Brokenshire: Holding answer received on 13 January 2016



UK Visas and Immigration is aware of around 380 outstanding applications for Family Reunion from individuals claiming to be the dependent of someone granted refugee status in the UK as a Kuwaiti Bidoon. The oldest application in this cohort where a decision has not yet been taken was submitted on 11 March 2014.UK Visas and Immigration is committed to concluding these applications as soon as possible. They are complex and require detailed investigation, including consultation with international partners.

Firearms: Smuggling

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many firearms and of what type have been seized at the UK border in each year since 2010.

James Brokenshire: Holding answer received on 13 January 2016



The table below shows the number and type of firearms seized by Border Force at the UK border, from 2010/11 to 2014/15:Type of firearm2010/112011/122012/132013/142014/15Real94197463283126Imitation77638881255399419Other1150176140330172301Imitation includes: Readily Convertible Firearms and Realistic Imitation Firearms‘Other’ includes: Parts of Guns, Mace and Pepper sprays, Stun weapons / Baton, Air Gas guns and Silencers.The figures quoted are management information, which is subject to internal quality checks and may be subject to change. These figures are not already in the public domain.

Immigration Controls: EU Action

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what her policy is on proposals by the European Commission to establish a EU border guard.

James Brokenshire: The proposal for a European Border and Coast Guard builds on provisions of the Schengen aquis in which the UK does not participate; the UK will not therefore be bound by the new regulation. The new proposal will however allow the UK to continue the same arrangements as those we have currently with Frontex, whereby we are able to support operations and other activities with the agreement of the Frontex Management Board on a case by case basis.The UK is supportive of steps to increase the security of the external Schengen border - we have a strong interest in effective management of the EU’s external border, not just in combating illegal migration, and cross-border crime but also as part of the EU-wide counter-terrorism effort.

Airports: Security

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what plans her Department has to allow US border guards to patrol UK airports.

James Brokenshire: The US operates border pre-clearance facilities at a number of international airports to allow passengers on flights to the US to clear US customs and immigration controls before they arrive in the US. The US Government seeks to negotiate such arrangements with the relevant UK airports, as any interested airport would need to adapt its operations accordingly. However the introduction of pre-clearance operations would also require approval by the UK Government. We continue to discuss pre-clearance with the US but no formal agreement has yet been reached.

Visas: Migrant Workers

Phil Boswell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if the Government will adjust the points-based visa criteria to reflect differences in regional average income levels.

James Brokenshire: Salary requirements form part of the criteria for Tier 2 of the Points Based System for immigration – the skilled work route. For the future, the Government intends that employers should only bring in workers from outside Europe where they have genuine skills shortages or require highly-specialised experts. In June last year, we commissioned the Migration Advisory Committee (MAC) to advise on how to achieve this, but with sufficient flexibility to include high value roles and key public service workers.Among other things, the MAC was asked to advise on minimum salary levels, and to consider the regional impact of all its recommendations. The MAC has now submitted its advice to the Home Secretary and is expected to publish the report shortly. We will consider the findings carefully.

Asylum

Mrs Anne-Marie Trevelyan: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many asylum seekers have been granted leave to remain since 2000.

James Brokenshire: The Home Office publishes data on asylum initial decisions in Table as_01 (Asylum data tables Volume 1) of the quarterly Immigration Statistics release. A total of 166,445 main applicants have been granted asylum or an alternative form of protection since January 2000. An annual breakdown of this total is provided in the attached table.A copy of the latest release, Immigration Statistics April – June 2015, is available from https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/home-office/series/immigration-statistics-quarterly-release.



Annual breakdown of granted asylum/alternative 
(Excel SpreadSheet, 11.53 KB)

Marriage of Convenience

Mr Gregory Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made of trends in the numbers of sham (a) marriages and (b) civil partnerships since March 2015.

James Brokenshire: Since the marriage referral scheme commenced on 2nd March 2015, the number of marriages considered to be a sham has reduced slightly although these numbers are too small to indicate any trend.Referrals under Section 24 of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999 and allegations have remained stable since March.From the data extract it is not possible to determine if a notification under the scheme relates to a Civil Partnership or a Marriage as the referrals are identical.

Immigrants: Deportation

Matthew Pennycook: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many times limited removal directions have been used since the policy of giving such directions came into effect on 6 April 2015.

James Brokenshire: The Immigration Act 2014 provides that where individuals are informed that they have no leave they are removable without the need for a further decision.Following related process changes individuals being removed from the UK may receive a removal decision which provides limited information about their removal. In many cases the Home Office also provides further details to individuals out of courtesy – this may include details of the specific flight they will be removed on. Information on notice of removal is published in Chapter 60 of the Enforcement Instructions and Guidance, available on the gov.uk website.Published data is available for the period 6 April – 30 September 2015. In that period, 26,159 removal decisions were served on individuals, but records do not show how many of these were full or limited notice.

Migration: Australia

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will make it her policy to encourage an increase in migration to the UK from Australia to the levels of such migration prior to 2008.

James Brokenshire: We value our close links with Australia and are committed to further strengthening our ties. Across all visa categories, total visas issued to Australian nationals grew by 10% in the year ending September 2015.However, the Government is committed to reducing net migration to sustainable levels. We have capped the level of skilled economic migration from outside the EU, and have asked the Migration Advisory Committee to advise on restricting Tier 2 of the Points Based System for immigration to genuine skills shortages and highly specialist experts to ensure that we only grant visas to those who have the skills we really need in our economy. We have no plans to introduce specific targets for Australian migration to the UK.

Radicalism

Liam Byrne: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will place in the Library a copy of the process for approving intervention providers under the Channel programme and the timetable for that process.

Liam Byrne: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many intervention providers her Department has approved as part of its Channel Programme.

Liam Byrne: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many intervention providers for the Channel Programme are pending approval.

Mr John Hayes: Holding answer received on 14 January 2016



There are currently 55 Home Office approved Intervention Providers for the Channel programme. They play a central role in reducing the vulnerability of people being drawn into terrorism. They are recruited on the basis of proven experience in mentoring, their work with key communities affected by terrorism and extremism and their knowledge of extremist ideologies and recruitment narratives.Recruitment rounds take place approximately every quarter. Candidates can be recommended by local partners, including Local Authorities, community groups, or other local partners.Applications undergo stringent background checks and where candidates are suitable they will be invited to interview. Candidates who meet the requirements at interview are put forward for Ministerial approval. This robust process, given that they will be working with the most vulnerable individuals on sensitive issues, takes up to twelve weeks.The list of Intervention Providers is kept under regular review and the Home Office is working on their number of providers and to respond to the changing threat, for example to recruit more female providers. Intervention Providers are given ongoing professional training.

Asylum: Scotland

Stuart C. McDonald: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many refused asylum seekers were granted, continued on, or were reinstated onto support under section 4 of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999 in Scotland after lodging an appeal with the First-tier Tribunal (Asylum Support) in (a) 2012-13, (b) 2013-14 and (c) 2014-15.

James Brokenshire: Holding answer received on 14 January 2016



This information is not recorded centrally and is not readily available. It could only be provided at disproportionate cost.

Disclosure and Barring Service: Performance Standards

Mr Steve Reed: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Answer of 18 September 2015 to Question 8917, what recent assessment she has made of the performance of the Disclosure and Barring service; and what the average processing time is for disclosure applications.

Karen Bradley: Holding answer received on 18 January 2016



The average processing time for disclosure applications was 15.3 days in December 2015, the latest month for which figures are available. The DBS operates to a target to issue 95% of disclosure certificates within 56 days (8 weeks) and 94.3% were issued within this target in December 2015.DBS is working closely with those forces who performance does not meet turnaround time targets.

Deportation: Northern Ireland

Mr Gregory Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many foreign national offenders were removed from Northern Ireland in the last three years.

James Brokenshire: The Home Office publishes data on removals and voluntary departures on a quarterly basis and annual basis. Although these figures are not disaggregated by constituent part of the United Kingdom, they do provide the requested data on a national level.The latest publication provides quarterly data from January 2009 to September 2015 and can be found in the Library of the House and on the following website:https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/immigration-statistics-july-to-september-2015-data-tablesThe next release is scheduled for 25 February 2016 and will include data covering the period from October to December 2015.

Cybercrime

Jack Dromey: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Answer of 5 January 2016 to Question 20367, what the educational basis is of adults adopting safer online behaviours; and under what cost headings the Cyber Streetwise campaign spent its funds in (a) 2014-15 and (b) 2015-16.

Mr John Hayes: Cyber Streetwise is a cross Government campaign, developed by private and public stakeholder partners and coordinated by the Home Office’s Research, Information and Communications Unit. It is designed to measurably make the UK a safer place to interact and do business online by increasing individual and SME adoption of safe online behaviours.The impact of Cyber Streetwise on behaviours is evaluated via regular quantitative tracking research. Since its launch in January 2014, it is estimated that 2 million adults have adopted safer online behaviours that will better protect them. Cyber Streetwise has spent its funds in (a) 2014-15 and (b) 2015-16 under the following categories:• Media spend and production• PR, partnership and social• Research• Website

Terrorism: Sportsgrounds

Mr George Howarth: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment her Department has made of the terrorism threat level for events at major sports stadiums.

Mr John Hayes: The Home Office has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Drugs: Advisory Services

Mims Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Answer of 8 December 2015 to Question 18753, whether the assessment of the FRANK website was based solely on preventing drug use.

Karen Bradley: Holding answer received on 18 January 2016



The purpose of the Frank website survey 2013 was to assess: website users' experiences, the information they accessed, their general satisfaction with the website and their intended behaviour after visiting the website.

Detention Centres

Gavin Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Answers of 6 January 2016 to Questions 21298 and 21317 on detention: centres, if she will take steps to collect the information referred to and to publish it on a regular basis.

James Brokenshire: The Home Office has no plans to collect or publish the information referred to in Questions 21298 and 21319. Question 21317 had not been answered when this Question was tabled.

Detention Centres

Gavin Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the cost was to the public purse of immigration holding and removal centres in each of the last three years.

James Brokenshire: The Home Office has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Undocumented Migrants

Gavin Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the average cost was to the public purse of the (a) detention and (b) deportation of each illegal immigrant in each constituency in each of the last three years.

James Brokenshire: Holding answer received on 18 January 2016



The Home Office does not hold this information centrally. It cannot be collated, except at disproportionate cost.

Refugees: Dunkirk

Caroline Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will make representations to the French government on ensuring that NGOs and volunteers are allowed continual access to the Dunkirk refugee camp for the provision of aid and other humanitarian assistance.

Caroline Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will make representations to the French government to ensure that the removal of 2,000 refugees from the Calais refugee camp into government-built shelters is co-ordinated with NGOs and volunteers; and that those refugees are (a) well-informed, (b) safely moved, (c) able to retain their possessions and (d) have their human rights respected.

Caroline Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will make representations to the French government to ensure that the three-day eviction notice give to refugees at Calais refugee camp is extended.

James Brokenshire: The UK Government recognises the exceptional pressures on the French Government and its citizens caused by the migrant situation in the Calais region. Both Governments are clear that the right course of action is, as far as possible, to move migrants away from Calais and for genuine refugees, to be offered protection within the French asylum system. This is why the UK has committed to providing £3.6 million (or €5 million) per year for two years to help provide support and facilities elsewhere in France.The UK is in regular contact with France on all matters related to Calais and the migrant situation. However, operational decisions relating to the management of the camps are the responsibility of the French Government.

Asylum: Syria

Alison McGovern: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps her Department is taking to ensure the target of 20,000 resettled Syrian refugees is met by the end of this Parliament.

Richard Harrington: The Home Office has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Obesity: Harassment

Jim Shannon: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps her Department is taking to reduce the hate mail and verbal attacks on people who are overweight.

Karen Bradley: Weight is not a protected characteristic under discrimination or hate crime legislation. However, there are protections in place for all citizens against hatred and verbal abuse.The Government is absolutely clear that abusive and threatening behaviour – in whatever form and whoever the target – is totally unacceptable. This includes harassment committed in person, or using phones or the internet. The Protection from Harassment Act 1997 has provisions for prosecution where harassment has taken place on two or more occasions. Harassment involves improper, oppressive and unreasonable conduct that is targeted at an individual and calculated to alarm them or cause them distress.The Malicious Communications Act 1988 prohibits sending letters or emails which are grossly offensive, threatening or known or believed to be false by the sender, within England and Wales.

Members: Correspondence

Rob Marris: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when her Department plans to respond to the letter from the hon. Member for Wolverhampton South West of 28 October 2015 on the dispersal of refugees.

James Brokenshire: I replied to the member for Wolverhampton South West on 18 January 2016.

Northern Ireland Office

Northern Ireland Office: Recruitment

Mr Gregory Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, how many people aged 50 and over were recruited by her Department in the last two years.

Mrs Theresa Villiers: My Department has recruited four people over the age of 50 in the last two years.

Northern Ireland Office: UK Membership of EU

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what contingency arrangements her Department has made for the eventuality of a majority leave vote in the upcoming EU referendum.

Mr Ben Wallace: I refer the hon Gentleman to the answer given by my Rt Hon Friend the Prime Minister on 14 January 2016.

Terrorism: Northern Ireland

Mr Gregory Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what recent assessment her Department has made of the terrorist threat from dissident Irish Republicans to the UK mainland.

Mrs Theresa Villiers: The threat to Great Britain from Northern Ireland Related Terrorism is currently assessed to be MODERATE, meaning an attack is possible but not likely. There were no Northern Ireland Related Terrorism attacks in Great Britain last year, but there were 16 in Northern Ireland where the threat is considered to be SEVERE. This means an attack is highly likely. Threat levels are of course kept under regular review.

Police: Northern Ireland

Jim Shannon: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what recent progress her Department has made on cross-border policing arrangements.

Mrs Theresa Villiers: Following the Fresh Start Agreement I attended a tri-lateral cross-border Ministerial meeting along with the Northern Ireland Executive and the Irish Government on 21 December. At the meeting, and in accordance with the Fresh Start Agreement, we agreed new measures to enhance law enforcement co-operation aimed at tackling organised crime and criminality, including that linked to paramilitarism. In a concerted effort to tackle cross-jurisdictional organised crime, a Joint Agency Task Force has been announced by the United Kingdom Government, the Irish Government and the NI Executive.

Investigatory Powers Draft Bill Joint Select Committee

Mr Jeffrey M. Donaldson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what discussions she has had with the Home Secretary on the oral and written evidence provided by the Government to the Joint Committee on the Draft Investigatory Powers Bill.

Mrs Theresa Villiers: I have been in regular contact with the Home Secretary on the Investigatory Powers Bill since drafting began last year. The Government is fully aware of the crucial importance of this legislation for combating terrorism in Northern Ireland. In November, the Home Secretary and I met to discuss the pre-legislative scrutiny process and the latest draft of the Bill that has been examined by the Joint Committee.Between November and January, the Government provided detailed evidence to the Joint Committee, including the Home Secretary’s oral evidence given last week. The Government’s evidence has explained the provisions of the Bill in detail and has set out the necessity of the powers as well as the safeguards that are to apply.

Department of Health

Inflammatory Bowel Disease

Tulip Siddiq: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to the Answer of 17 December 2015 to Question 19827, which authority is overseeing the implementation of NICE Quality Standards; and what steps are being taken to (a) monitor progress in developing Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) services against, (b) implement and (c) promote NICE Quality Standard Q581 on IBD.

Jane Ellison: The Health and Social Care Act 2012 places a duty on NHS England to have regard to quality standards, published by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE). Quality standards are important in setting out to patients, the public, commissioners and providers what a high quality service should look like in a particular area of care.   NHS England would expect providers and commissioners to take into account NICE quality standards, including for inflammatory bowel disease, in designing services locally. However, the quality standards do not provide a comprehensive service specification and are not mandatory.

Genito-urinary Medicine

Emma Reynolds: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what forecast he has made of the return on spending on preventative sexual and reproductive health spending in each of the next five years.

Jane Ellison: We have no plans to produce forecasts on the return on investment of spending on sexual health prevention services. Investment to prevent sexually transmitted infections, (including HIV) and unplanned pregnancies offers benefits to individuals, local economies, the National Health Service and wider society. Our Framework for Sexual Health Improvements includes the evidence and information to support local authorities to commission effective services.

Muscular Dystrophy: Hydrotherapy

Mr David Anderson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will meet representatives of the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Muscular Dystrophy and Muscular Dystrophy UK to discuss the provision of hydrotherapy for people with muscle-wasting conditions.

Jane Ellison: The provision of National Health Service hydrotherapy services is a local matter. NHS England’s neurosciences services specification sets out what providers must have in place to offer evidence-based, safe and effective services, including for patients with muscular dystrophy. Specialised neuromuscular care may include referral to local physiotherapy, hydrotherapy or rehabilitation if appropriate, however the commissioning of hydrotherapy services is a matter for clinical commissioning groups.The specification can be found at the following link:www.england.nhs.uk/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/d04-neurosci-spec-neuro.pdf.

Department of Health: UK Membership of EU

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what contingency arrangements his Department has made for the eventuality of a majority leave vote in the upcoming EU referendum.

Jane Ellison: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by my Rt. hon Friend the Prime Minister on 14 January 2016 to Question 21952.

Fast Food: Packaging

Martyn Day: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will take steps to establish an inquiry into the use of perfluorochemicals in fast-food packaging.

Jane Ellison: European Union Legislation already requires that food contact materials must not transfer harmful chemicals into food. Recent reports in the media have referred to changes being introduced in the United States to ban the use of some perfluorochemicals in food packaging. The Food Standards Agency has confirmed that perfluorochemicals are not used in paper and cardboard fast food packaging in the United Kingdom and will continue to work with the industry to ensure they meet their responsibilities under the legislation.

Pain

David Mackintosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps his Department is taking to raise awareness amongst healthcare professionals of complex regional pain syndrome.

David Mackintosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps his Department is taking to help sufferers of complex regional pain syndrome.

Jane Ellison: To raise awareness amongst healthcare professionals and help them recognise the symptoms complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS), the Royal College of Physicians (RCP) published a clinical guideline on the diagnosis, referral and management of the condition in May 2012. The guideline can be found at the following link: www.rcplondon.ac.uk/guidelines-policy/pain-complex-regional-pain-syndrome More general information on CRPS can be found on the National Health Service Choices website, alongside advice about living with chronic pain and links to patient support groups and organisations such as the British Pain Society:www.nhs.uk/Conditions/complex-regional-pain-Syndrome/Pages/Introduction.aspx The routine assessment and management of pain is a required competency of all healthcare professionals. Many patients with long term chronic pain, such as those with CRPS, can be successfully supported and managed through routine primary and secondary care pain management services. In addition to the RCP guideline, other sources of evidence based guidance to support clinicians includes the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence guideline on the pharmacological management of neuropathic pain, which is relevant to the care of patients with CRPS. www.nice.org.uk/guidance/cg173   it is important that patients with the most serious pain management issues are able to access specialist care. A patient whose pain is particularly difficult to manage may be referred to a specialised pain management service. Under the care of an expert multidisciplinary team, patients may be offered specialised pain management programmes specifically for CRPS and more complex drugs treatments.

Fertility

Grahame Morris: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment he has made of the availability of access to fertility treatments in the NHS.

Jane Ellison: The level of provision of infertility treatment, as for all health services they commission, is decided by local clinical commissioning groups (CCGs) and will take into account the needs of the population overall. The CCG’s decisions are underpinned by clinical insight and knowledge of local healthcare needs. As such, provision of services will vary in response to local needs.NHS England expects that all those involved in commissioning infertility treatment services to be fully aware of the importance of having regard to the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence fertility guidelines.On 14 December 2015 I met with stakeholders, together with colleagues from NHS England and Monitor,to discuss the provision of in vitro fertilisation. The Department, along with NHS England and Monitor, will be giving further consideration to the scope for improving the commissioning of these services.

Mastectomy: Females

Jim Shannon: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what his Department's policy is on the provision of precautionary mastectomies for women who have not been diagnosed with breast cancer.

Jane Ellison: The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence published guidance to the National Health Service on bilateral risk-reducing mastectomy in its clinical guideline, Familial breast cancer: classification, care and managing breast cancer and related risks in people with a family history of breast cancer (June 2013). This is available at:www.nice.org.uk/guidance/cg164/chapter/1-recommendations

Epilepsy

Jim Shannon: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many people there were with epilepsy in each of the last five years.

Jane Ellison: Information concerning the number of people diagnosed with epilepsy on an annual basis is not collected. The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence estimates that epilepsy affects between 362,000 and 415,000 people in England.

NHS

Ruth Cadbury: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps his Department took to publicise the recent NHS Mandate Consultation.

George Freeman: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for High Peak (Andrew Bingham) on 2 December 2015 to Question 18482.

Hospitals: Yorkshire and the Humber

Michael Dugher: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what the average hospital waiting time was for NHS patients in (a) Barnsley East constituency, (b) Barnsley, (c) South Yorkshire and (d) Yorkshire and the Humber since 2010.

Jane Ellison: The Department of Health has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Accident and Emergency Departments: Yorkshire and the Humber

Michael Dugher: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many incidents of accident and emergency departments diverting admissions to other hospitals there were in (a) Barnsley East constituency, (b) Barnsley, (c) South Yorkshire and (d) Yorkshire and the Humber in each year since 2010.

Jane Ellison: The number of occasions when there was an agreed temporary divert of patients from hospitals in Barnsley, South Yorkshire and Yorkshire and the Humber to other accident and emergency departments is available from NHS England’s winter daily situation reports, which are collected from acute trusts each weekday during winter only. Published figures can be found using the following link.https://www.england.nhs.uk/statistics/statistical-work-areas/winter-daily-sitreps/

Mental Health Services: Autism

Mrs Cheryl Gillan: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to the Answer of 7 January 2016 to Question 20755, when the visits to clinical commissioning groups referred to in that question are planned to start; and when he expects the findings of such visits to be reported to him.

Alistair Burt: NHS England with support from the Association of Directors of Adult Social Services, is visiting a selection of areas to talk to clinical commissioning groups and local authorities about their Autism Diagnostic Care Pathways. Based on information provided in the most recent local authority Autism Self-Assessment exercise, the areas selected include those areas that have assessed themselves as having a diagnostic pathway in place, those who appear to be facing obstacles, and those who have no pathway in place. A report on the work will be completed by the end of April 2016.

Mental Health Services: Yorkshire and the Humber

Michael Dugher: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many NHS patients were admitted to mental health beds in (a) Barnsley, (b) South Yorkshire and (c) Yorkshire and the Humber in each year since 2010; and how many such patients in each location were diverted to other hospitals for admission over the same period.

Alistair Burt: The data requested is not all centrally available. Such data as is available is shown in the table below.Number of people using National Health Service funded adult secondary mental health and learning disability services spending time in hospital during the year, by selected mental health providers 2010/11 - 2014/15.2010/112011/122012/132013/142014/15AdmittedAdmittedAdmittedAdmittedAdmittedSouth Yorkshire:4,0914,8354,9364,4904,430NHS providersRotherham Doncaster and South Humber NHS Foundation Trust1,3891,3951,5081,4051,315South West Yorkshire Partnership NHS Foundation Trust1,8822,4092,4102,1902,230Sheffield Health and Social Care NHS Foundation Trust8201,0311,018895885Yorkshire and Humber7,5338,3738,8498,4608,405NHS providersLeeds and York Partnership NHS Foundation Trust1,4931,5842,0092,0502,040Humber NHS Foundation Trust813853811880915Rotherham Doncaster and South Humber NHS Foundation Trust1,3891,3951,5081,4051,315South West Yorkshire Partnership NHS Foundation Trust1,8822,4092,4102,1902,230Bradford District Care NHS Foundation Trust1,1361,1011,0931,0401,020Sheffield Health and Social Care NHS Foundation Trust8201,0311,018895885Source: Health and Social Care Information Centre Mental Health Minimum Dataset (MHMDS/MHLDDS) 2010/11 - 2014/15Notes:Where a person was in contact with more than one provider during the year, they are counted at their highest level of care in each provider. Care spells with an admission are prioritised over those care spells without an admission.The 'Admitted' category identifies people that spent time in hospital in the year. They may also have used community mental health services. Learning Disabilities services were added to the dataset in 2015. Data between versions may not be directly compatible.Note that provider level figures for 2013/14 and 2014/15 have been rounded to control the risk of disclosing an individual's identity. This is in line with the suppression rules in place at the time of publication.

Cancer

Mr Gregory Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, with reference to the Answer of 26 November 2014 to Question 215220, what information his Department holds on further research on the use of dogs to detect cancer.

George Freeman: The National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Clinical Research Network is recruiting to a study of canine olfactory detection of human urological cancer from the odour of human urine samples. The study is funded by the charity Medical Detection Dogs.The NIHR is funding a programme of systematic reviews to determine the accuracy of tests for the diagnosis and staging of skin cancer. The report from this programme is expected to be published in December 2017. One of the ongoing reviews funded within the programme is on canine odour detection for the diagnosis of cutaneous melanoma in adults.

Antidepressants: Children

Luciana Berger: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to the Answer of 11 January 2016 to Question 21144, anti-depressants: children, when the capability referred to is expected to be introduced; and whether anti-depressants will be included in the information concerned.

Luciana Berger: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many people in England and Wales are on long-term prescriptions of more than four weeks for benzodiazepines.

Alistair Burt: The National Health Service Business Services Authority (NHS BSA) has advised that, in December 2015, it initiated a project to improve the storage of transaction level prescription data, including the age of patients and to enhance reporting capability against this data. The NHS BSA anticipates having the capability to provide patient level prescription information towards the end of the 2016-17 financial year. This should contain primary care prescribing information for the full range of medicines, including anti-depressants.This should also allow the reporting on long-term prescriptions for medicines, including benzodiazepines, which is not currently possible.

NHS England

Luciana Berger: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many health trusts (a) Simon Stevens and (b) Sir Bruce Keogh have visited in each year since their appointments as Chief Executive and Medical Director respectively of NHS England; and on what dates they visited which health trusts in which locations.

George Freeman: This information is not held by the Department. NHS England has advised that this information is not routinely collected and it could only be collated and provided at disproportionate cost.

Accident and Emergency Departments: Mental Illness

Luciana Berger: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to the Answer of 11 January 2016 to Question 21142, when (a) the provisional data referred to will be finalised and (b) the next set of data will be released.

Alistair Burt: My response to Parliamentary Question 21142 included data on attendances at accident and emergency departments covering January to September 2015 with data covering the period April to September 2015 labelled as provisional. However, my officials have advised me that data for the period January to March 2015 is also classed as provisional as the finalised data for this period is yet to be published. Provisional data is subject to change and allows for any revisions to be made throughout the year. The differences between provisional and finalised data are small, with variations of less than 1% on most figures extracted from Hospital Episode Statistics data.Finalised data for 2014-15 will be published on January 28 2016. Finalised data for 2015-16 is expected to be published in January 2017, however, there is no approved schedule for final publication of these data as yet.The next set of monthly provisional accident and emergency quality indicators data for October 2015 will be available on January 26 2016.

Mid Staffordshire NHS Foundation Trust Public Inquiry

Ms Gisela Stuart: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps his Department has taken, subsequent to its accepting recommendation 274 of the Francis report on the Mid Staffordshire NHS Foundation Trust Public Enquiry, published on 6 February 2013, to (a) issue guidance to NHS Trusts and their legal advisers and (b) monitor implementation of that guidance on disclosure of information to coroners, patients and families.

Ben Gummer: Recommendation 274 was in line with the government’s commitment to greater openness and transparency across the National Health Service, particularly when things go wrong.The Coroners and Justice Act 2009 gives coroners powers to require a person or organisation in England and Wales to provide evidence and to require a witness in England and Wales to give evidence at an inquest. The 2009 Act makes it, “an offence for a person to do anything that is intended to have the effect of (a) distorting or otherwise altering any evidence, document or other things that is given, produced or provided for the purpose of an investigation…. (b) preventing any evidence, document or other thing from being given produced or provided for the purposes of such an investigation or to do anything that the person knows or believes is likely to have that effect.” This offence is limited to actions where there is “intention” to distort or alter evidence, and is punishable by a fine and / or imprisonment. The Ministry of Justice is currently conducting a post-implementation review of the 2013 coroner reforms in the Coroners and Justice Act 2009, which includes the reforms’ provisions on disclosure of information. The call for evidence and survey element of the review finished at the end of 2015, and the Ministry of Justice is now considering the responses received. The Department of Health understands that it hopes to publish a response document in the spring.In response to the Mid Staffordshire NHS Foundation Trust Public Inquiry the Government introduced a statutory duty of candour which came into force on 27 November 2014 for NHS Trusts, Foundation Trusts and some special health authorities that provide care and treatment to people that is regulated by the Care Quality Commission (CQC) and for all other providers registered with CQC on 1 April 2015. The statutory duty of candour applies to organisations, rather than to individual members of staff. However, it is designed to foster an open culture throughout the organisation, and providers are accountable to CQC for meeting the duty of candour. CQC are able to take enforcement action against the provider, and in certain circumstances its board and senior management, where breaches of the duty of candour have been found. Providers of care will therefore be expected to implement the new duty of candour through staff across their organisations - including educating, training and, if needs be, disciplining their staff appropriately.In addition, The NHS Serious Incident Framework published in 2015 provides advice on provision of information regarding serious incidents to coroners, patients and their families. It is available athttps://www.england.nhs.uk/patientsafety/serious-incident/CQC will look at how safe care is for patients as part of the inspection of NHS Trusts.

Palliative Care

Emma Reynolds: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how much his Department spent on medical nutrition in end of life care in each of the last five years; and what estimate he has made of such spending in each of the next five years.

Emma Reynolds: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps (a) his Department and (b) NHS England is taking to ensure that patients who cannot consume food in the normal way are receiving the correct treatment through tube and sip feeds.

Emma Reynolds: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what plans his Department has to ensure that medical nutrition is integrated into end of life care pathways in clinical commissioning groups.

Ben Gummer: Information on annual National Health Service spend on medically assisted nutrition in end of life care is not held centrally.It is for clinicians with responsibility for the care of people at the end of life to ensure their patients receive care and treatment appropriate to their needs. Similarly, local commissioners are responsible for ensuring the services they commission meet the needs of their local populations.In 2014 we set out five priorities for care of the dying person which should underpin the care being delivered to all dying people. Alongside the priorities, we set out the duties and responsibilities for all staff with responsibility for looking after dying people and implementation guidance for all providers and commissioners of care. The priorities for care state that an individual plan of care, which includes food and drink, symptom control and psychological, social and spiritual support, is agreed, co-ordinated and delivered with compassion.In December 2015, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence published guidance on the care of dying adults in the last days of life, including guidance on medical nutrition and hydration. Clinicians and commissioners should have regard to this guidance when making decisions about care for people at the end of life.

Junior Doctors: Working Hours

Mr Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will commission a review into the working hours of junior doctors; and if he will make a statement.

Ben Gummer: The Working Time Regulations provide the same protection to junior doctors as to other workers, limiting working hours to an average of 48 per week. Junior doctors, as is the case for all workers, may choose to opt-out of the Working Time Regulations and work beyond the limits; however, where they do so, their contract imposes a limit of 56 hours per week.The vast majority – 99% - of junior doctors are working within these current limits. Under the proposed new contract the limits on average weekly hours will continue to apply and there will also be limits that go further than the legislation including a cap on the maximum number of hours that junior doctors can work in any one week – the legislation permits 91 hours but the contract will limit this to 72. Under the new contract junior doctors will have work schedules setting out their duties, expected training opportunities and contracted hours. These will be regularly reviewed and junior doctors will be able to request a review at any time. There will be a system of exception reporting where work varies regularly and/or significantly from the work schedule. Junior doctors will also be able to report exceptions and concerns to a guardian of safe working for each organisation - whose appointment will be agreed with the British Medical Association - and request a review if they are not treated as promised.1% (around 500) of junior doctors has working patterns that are in breach of the current contractual limits on hours or rest. The new contract will bring an end to that.

Palliative Care

Emma Reynolds: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if his Department will mandate that nutrition is written into all national care pathways for long-term conditions.

Jane Ellison: The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) has developed a range of care pathways covering the management of long term conditions, such as diabetes and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, which are based on its best practice guidance for management of these diseases. Where appropriate to the management of a condition, nutritional assessment and advice are included. In addition to this, there are specific care pathways covering nutrition support in adults and maternal and child nutrition which can be found at the following links:http://pathways.nice.org.uk/pathways/nutrition-support-in-adultshttp://pathways.nice.org.uk/pathways/maternal-and-child-nutritionNICE is the independent body responsible for developing best practice guidance for the National Health Service and its guidance is based on a thorough assessment of the available evidence and is developed through wide consultation with stakeholders. NICE has issued guidance on a broad range of medical conditions, treatments and interventions and periodically reviews and updates its guidance to ensure that it reflects new evidence and other developments.

Viticulture: Registration

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, whether the existing Vineyard Register is maintained in accordance with EU regulations.

Jane Ellison: The Food Standards Agency (FSA) currently maintains a Vineyard Register for the United Kingdom on behalf of the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs. This was established and managed in accordance with the European Union requirements set out in Regulation (EC) 436/2009. This statutory obligation was removed on the 1 January 2016 as a result of Regulation (EC) 1308/2013.The FSA uses the register for the purposes of official controls relating to UK wine production and to underpin traceability for the various UK wine schemes.

Care Homes: Disclosure of Information

Will Quince: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if his Department will bring forward proposals to require all owners and managers of care homes to give a copy of the Public Interest Disclosure Act 2013 to care workers on appointment.

Ben Gummer: There are no plans to require care homes owners and managers to give a copy of Public Interest Disclosure Act 1998 to all new employees.The Care Quality Commission (CQC) is the independent regulator of health and adult social care in England. It monitors, inspects and regulates services against fundamental standards of quality and safety below which care should never fall.One of the fundamental standards covers good governance and requires that a provider seeks and acts on feedback from relevant persons, including staff, for the purpose of continually evaluating and improving such services. A further fundamental standard requires that employees receive appropriate support, training and professional development.One of the areas the CQC inspections consider is how the service demonstrates good management and leadership. The CQC Key Lines of Enquiry state that a provider should have policies in place to investigate whistleblowing concerns and that any investigations are thorough, questioning and objective. The service should also record and learn from these investigations so such incidents are less likely to happen again.

Doctors: Training

Mr Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment his Department has made of the adequacy of finance options available to doctors to cover their training costs; and if he will make a statement.

Ben Gummer: The Department for Business Innovation and Skills (BIS) and the Department of Health have joint responsibility for the funding of students on medical courses. For the first four years of the five or six year undergraduate degree, medical students receive the same maintenance and tuition fee loans as mainstream students under the BIS Education (Student Support) Regulations.In the fifth year of study funding is provided by the National Health Service Bursary Scheme and eligible medical students can receive a means tested NHS Bursary and a non-means tested grant of £1,000. The NHS will also meet the cost of their tuition, so medical students do not have to pay tuition fees in the final years of their course.Health Education England (HEE) has responsibility for determining the amount of funding available to students via the NHS Bursary Scheme.HEE also support doctors in training by funding clinical placements for undergraduate students which is paid directly to the NHS providers at an agreed national tariff price, and postgraduate training at 50% of trainee salary and a placement fee of £12,400.Funding support is reviewed on an annual basis.

Mental Illness: Parents

Luciana Berger: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how his Department (a) identified and (b) supported  children of parents with mental illness.

Alistair Burt: We have changed the law to improve how young carers and their families including those of parents with mental illness are identified and supported. These new duties came into effect in April 2015. Changes introduced through the Children and Families Act 2014 consolidate and simplify the legislation relating to young carers’ assessments, make rights and duties clearer to both young people and practitioners, extend the right to an assessment of needs of all young carers regardless of who they care for or what type of care they provide and make it clear to local authorities that they must carry out an assessment of a young carer’s needs for support on request or on the appearance of need.These new provisions work alongside those in the Care Act 2014 for assessing adults to enable ‘whole family approaches’ to assessment and support. This means that when a child is identified as a young carer, the needs of everyone in the family will be considered in the first place.The Royal College of Psychiatrists’ Report CR164 Parents as patients: Supporting the needs of patients who are parents and their children published in January 2011 and available athttp://www.rcpsych.ac.uk/usefulresources/publications/collegereports/cr/cr164.aspxsets out the College’s position on how the needs of parents and children can be managed and dealt with sensitively in the case of parental mental illness.

NHS England

Luciana Berger: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many and which health (a) trusts and (b) services (i) Jane Cummings, (ii) Dame Barbara Hakin, (iii) Paul Baumann, (iv) Karen Wheeler and (v) Ian Dodge have visited in each year since their appointments to the board of NHS England; and on what dates each such visit was held.

George Freeman: This information is not held by the Department. NHS England has advised that this information is not routinely collected and it could only be collated and provided at disproportionate cost.

Eating Disorders: Young People

Luciana Berger: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, with reference to paragraph 1.86 of the Autumn Statement 2014, how much of the planned annual £30 million additional budget for services for young people with eating disorders has been spent; and for what purposes that budget has been spent.

Alistair Burt: The whole £30 million for 2015/16 has been allocated directly to clinical commissioning groups. It is being spent on setting up new specialist community-based eating disorder teams. NHS England, in partnership with the National Collaborating Centre for Mental Health Services, developed the Children and Young People’s Eating Disorder Access and Waits Commissioning Guide, which was issued in August 2015 alongside the first tranche of money. The commissioning guide included detailed specifications on how to set up, train and support the teams.The aims of these new services are to support quicker access to evidence based treatment in the community and a reduction in the rate of relapse. In time, this should decrease the need for hospital stays and reduce the need for transition to adult services, although where there is still a need, the transitioning arrangements should be improved.This service will enable the introduction of an eating disorder standard for children and young people who are aged 18 and under, for treatment to be received within four weeks, from first contact with a designated health professional for routine cases and within one week for urgent cases.

General Practitioners: Opening Hours

Barbara Keeley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many and what proportion of GP surgeries offer extended opening hours.

Alistair Burt: We are committed to transforming general practice, and ensuring general practitioner (GP) services are available seven days a week by 2020. Of the total 7,875 GP surgeries in England, over 2,500 practices are involved in the Prime Minister’s GP Access Fund and are currently offering improved access, including extended hours, to around 17 million patients according to the latest figures.Additionally, the Extended Hours Directed Enhanced Service (DES), in place since 2008/09, is a way that GP practices are incentivised to offer extended access through the contract. 5,875 practices received a payment for 2014/15, totalling £83.984 million. Practices providing this DES could also be taking part in the GP Access Fund. Key requirements include the provision of additional clinical sessions (routine appointments including emergency appointments), provided outside of core contracted hours, in keeping with patient preference.

Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

Pregnant Women: Discrimination

Julian Sturdy: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what cross-departmental steps he has taken to produce a plan of action to reduce pregnancy discrimination and better support pregnant women and new mothers in the workplace.

Nick Boles: Officials from this Department have participated in round table meetings with stakeholders which have been organised by the Equalities and Human Rights Commission (EHRC), following publication of interim findings of research into pregnancy and maternity related discrimination. The independent research, the largest of its kind to be undertaken in Great Britain, was jointly funded by Department for Business, Innovation and Skills and the EHRC. The Interim findings were published in July 2015 and can be found at: http://www.equalityhumanrights.com/publication/pregnancy-and-maternity-related-discrimination-and-disadvantage-first-findings-surveys-employers-and-0 . The final report is due to be published later this year.These meetings and the research findings will inform the EHRC’s recommendations to Government. The EHRC recommendations will in turn inform the Government response.

Work Experience

Phil Boswell: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, pursuant to the Answer of 20 October 2015 to Question 11169, what discussions the Government has had with the devolved administrations on the recommendation in the Social Mobility and Child Poverty Commission's report, State of the Nation 2014: Social Mobility and Child Poverty in Great Britain, published in October 2014, that unpaid internships should be eliminated by 2020.

Nick Boles: No formal discussions on unpaid internships have taken place between the UK Government and the devolved administrations following the publication of the Social Mobility and Child Poverty Commission’s report in October 2014. The UK Government recognises that a number of the levers that can be used to influence social mobility are the responsibility of the devolved administrations, and we are keen to work closely with all partners to help improve social mobility across the United Kingdom.

Apprentices: Disability

Mike Kane: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, if he will make it his policy to ensure that 15 per cent of the three million apprenticeships his Department plans to deliver over the next five years are taken up by disabled people.

Nick Boles: We are committed to reaching 3 million new apprenticeship starts by 2020. Thousands of disabled people have benefitted from apprenticeships. In the 2014/15 academic year 44,090 of those starting an apprenticeship declared a disability or learning difficulty (LDD). This is 8.8% of the total starts.Apprenticeships are jobs with training and availability is dependent upon employers offering opportunities. However, we believe that there is more that can be done to ensure that people from a diverse range of backgrounds are in the best possible place to apply for and secure an apprenticeship. Employers must fulfil their duties as set out in the Equality Act 2010 for apprentices as they would for other employees.An Apprenticeships Equality and Diversity Advisory group helps government understand and address any apprenticeship equality and diversity issues in order to reduce barriers and make apprenticeships as inclusive as possible.

Adult Education: Cost Effectiveness

Angela Rayner: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, with reference to section 11.9 of the Spending Review and Autumn Statement 2015, what steps he plans to take to achieve £360 million in efficiencies and savings in adult skills.

Nick Boles: The Chancellor published the results of the Spending Review on 25th November 2015. This is a good settlement for further education. Between 2010-11 and 2019-20 the Government will have doubled spending on apprenticeships in cash terms to £2.5 billion, and protected funding for the core adult skills participation budgets in cash terms, at £1.5 billionThe Government will make £362 million of savings and efficiencies from adult skills funding by 2019-20. We are prioritising funding for participation, with savings being made from supporting budgets. We are also restructuring the sector through locally-led Area Reviews to provide sustainable and high quality provision in the future.

Apprentices

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, how many new apprenticeships have been created in the UK since the 2015 general election.

Nick Boles: Information on apprenticeship starts is published as part of a Statistical First Release.https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/learner-participation-outcomes-and-level-of-highest-qualification-heldLatest data show that there were 115,300 apprenticeship starts between 1 May and 31 July 2015.

Students: Loans

Angela Rayner: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what assessment he has made of the implications for the financial position of students of offering loans to 19 to 23 year olds who are undertaking further education.

Nick Boles: Loans have been available to those aged 24 and over studying at levels 3 and 4 in further education since April 2013. We are now making them available to those aged 19-23 and extending them to levels 5 and 6. Advanced Learner Loans remove the barrier of paying up-front fees for courses.Learners do not repay their loan until they can afford to. Repayments on the loan are taken when the individual is earning more than £21,000 per annum and is at the rate of 9% of their earnings above this level.Loans enhance shared responsibility for skills funding, recognising that much of the benefit of advanced vocational study goes to the learner.

Health Services

Peter Kyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, how many people were involved in the process of developing the care practitioner scheme which was being supported by the UK Commission for Employment and Skills; and what estimate his Department has made of how much that scheme would have cost to implement.

Nick Boles: Departments were not involved in any discussions about this scheme, as the UK Commission for Employment and Skills (UKCES) was dealing directly and independently with the organisation that proposed the scheme.

Minimum Wage

Caroline Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, pursuant to the Answer of 13 July 2015 to Question 5609, how many HM Revenue and Customs investigations that commenced on or after 1 October 2013 resulted in the issuing of Notice of Underpayment (NOU) of the National Minimum Wage to the employer; how many of those employers receiving an NOU were exempt from his Department's revised naming and shaming scheme on the basis that the total arrears were less than £100; how many of those employers successfully appealed against being named or shamed; and how many of those employers have been publicly named or shamed under that scheme.

Nick Boles: Since October 2013, HMRC has commenced 1004 investigations into National Minimum Wage (NMW) compliance that resulted in the issuing of a Notice of Underpayment (NoU). Of those:- 165 employers were exempt from the NMW naming scheme on the basis that the total arrears were less than £100;- 27 have made successful representations under the scheme and have not been named; and.- 398 employers have been named under the scheme.Employers are not named at the point when an NoU is issued. Under the National Minimum Wage regulations, employers have 28 days to appeal against an NoU. They then have a further 14 days to make representations to BIS against being named. We are currently considering the next batch of cases and expect to name more employers shortly.

Prisons: Education

Mrs Emma Lewell-Buck: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what educational provision there is for offenders who are unable to read or write.

Nick Boles: The Offender Learning and Skills Service (OLASS) arrangements deliver a broad range of provision in adult prisons across England, operating within funding rules set by the Skills Funding Agency. Those funding rules require providers to deliver a core curriculum, commissioned by the prison Governor or the lead Governor for a cluster of prisons, in conjunction with the Skills Funding Agency, which must include mandatory initial assessment of English (and maths) for all prisoners on reception to custody as well as English, maths and English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) provision.

Prisons: Education

Mrs Emma Lewell-Buck: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, how much has been spent on the education of illiterate offenders in a prison setting in each of the last 10 years.

Nick Boles: Information on the amount spent on the education of illiterate offenders is not centrally collected.The total funding available in the 2015-16 financial year to the Offender Learning and Skills Service is £128.9m as outlined in the Skills funding Letter:https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/406881/Vince_Cable_and_Nick_Boles_to_Peter_Lauener_-__Skills_Funding_Agency.pdfIt is the responsibility of the prison Governor in conjunction with the Skills Funding Agency to commission a curriculum based on the money they have been allocated each year.The Department does not hold information on the cost of individual types of provision but information on the number of learners participating in English courses by level is published online at the FE Data Library (link below). There is no formal definition for illiteracy but English at Level 2 is defined as the level required for day-to-day life. Reliable data for offender learning is available from 2010/11 onwards.https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/416721/feandskills-OLASS-participation-and-achievement.xls

Prisoners: Literacy

Mrs Emma Lewell-Buck: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, how many non-remand prisoners are classified a illiterate; and how many such prisoners there were in each prison in each of the last 10 years.

Nick Boles: There is no formal definition for illiteracy but English at Level 2 is defined as the desirable level for day-to-day life. Mandatory English and maths assessments for newly-received prisoners (except individuals who have been assessed recently, and those who already have maths and English at Level 2) were introduced from academic year 2014/15. The outcomes for the English education assessments in 2014/15 are published online at the FE Data Library (link below).https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/473764/feandskills-OLASS-participation-english-and-maths-assessments.xls

Minimum Wage

Mr Roger Godsiff: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of HM Revenue and Customs' strategy to enforce the national minimum wage.

Nick Boles: The Low Pay Commission publish an annual report on the National Minimum Wage (NMW) which includes a full assessment of the Government’s NMW compliance and enforcement strategy. The 2015 report is available here - https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/national-minimum-wage-low-pay-commission-report-2015 - the next report is due to be published in February 2016.

Social Mobility

Phil Boswell: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what discussions the Government has had with the devolved administrations on increasing social mobility since May 2015.

Nick Boles: The Government is committed to increasing social mobility throughout the UK. We hold regular discussions with the devolved administrations on a wide variety of topics many of which affect social mobility.It should also be noted however, that many key levers for improving social mobility such as apprenticeships, traineeships and higher education have some degree of devolution across the UK and so policy decisions on these issues should be referred to the relevant devolved administration.

Employment

Phil Boswell: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what assessment he has made of the implications for his polices of the conclusions of the Joseph Rowntree Foundation report, entitled Monitoring Poverty and Social Exclusion 2015, published in November 2015 that (a) the number of people working part-time who wish to work full-time is higher than in 2009 and (b) 600,000 people on temporary contracts want permanent contracts, compared to 400,000 people before the recession.

Nick Boles: The Joseph Rowntree Foundation Report “Monitoring Poverty and Social Exclusion 2015” is one of a number of reports and surveys undertaken on the UK labour Market and Government considers them in the round with regard to Government policy. This report makes use of the Office for National Statistics data and Labour Force Survey which Government uses as a source of information.

Small Businesses: Floods

Caroline Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what information the Government holds on the proportion of small businesses that have ceased trading after experiencing flood damage in the last five years; and if he will make a statement.

Anna Soubry: The Department does not hold specific information on the proportion of businesses, large or small, that have ceased trading after experiencing flood damage in the last five years.However following the flooding of Winter 2013/14, of the 4,859 businesses that were reported by Local Authorities as being impacted by flooding, only 3 businesses were reported as not fully operational by October 2015.

Saudi Arabia: Arms Trade

Tulip Siddiq: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, how many requests for arms export licences to Saudi Arabia (a) have been made, (b) were rejected by the Export Control Organisation (ECO), (c) were granted by the ECO and (d) were revoked after being granted in each year since 2009-10.

Anna Soubry: a) The number of Saudi Arabian arms export licences submitted for processing, per calendar year since 2009, is as follows:Year 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015Number of Applications 118 148 143 158 161 167 203b-d) Information on arms export licences are published as Official Statistics in the quarterly and annual reports on Strategic Export Controls. These reports contain detailed information on export licences issued, refused or revoked, by destination, including the overall value, type (e.g. Military, Other) and a summary of the items covered by these licences. They are available to view at GOV.UK.The most recently published information covers the period until 30 June 2015. Information covering 1 July to 30 September 2015 will be published on 19 January 2016 and information covering 1 October to 31 December 2015 will be published on 19 April 2016.

Students: Grants

Gordon Marsden: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, how many students studying higher education in further education colleges received maintenance grants in the last year for which figures are available.

Joseph Johnson: Statistics showing the number of English applicants awarded maintenance grants are published annually by the Student Loans Company (SLC) in the Statistical First Release ‘Student Support for Higher Education in England’.http://www.slc.co.uk/official-statistics/financial-support-awarded/england-higher-education.aspxData provided by the SLC indicates there were 33,700 English applicants awarded maintenance grants for HE courses associated with publicly-funded further education colleges in the academic year 2014/15.A course can be held at a campus of the associated institution or at a franchise location, therefore numbers of applicants to courses associated with an institution may not necessarily reflect the numbers studying at the institution. An awarded applicant will only receive payments once SLC have received confirmation from the applicant’s provider that the student has been registered on the course.

Department for Business, Innovation and Skills: UK Membership of EU

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what contingency arrangements his Department has made for the eventuality of a majority leave vote in the upcoming EU referendum.

Anna Soubry: I refer my hon Friend to the reply given on 14 January by my Rt hon Friend the Prime Minister's answer to UIN 21952.

New Businesses: Loans

Luciana Berger: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what processes are in place to ensure that people with mental health problems have applications for start-up loans considered fairly.

Anna Soubry: The Start-Up Loans programme provides loans and mentoring support to enable entrepreneurs aged 18 and over from all parts of society and based in the UK to start a business. So far, over 34,300 entrepreneurs have received support from the programme, which in turn has facilitated over £187 million worth of lending to date.The programme operates through a network of Delivery Partners, who make individual lending decisions based on criteria set by the Start-Up Loans Company. Delivery Partners are required to adhere to Financial Conduct Authority Regulations on Treating Customers Fairly which include reference to the treatment of customers with mental health issues.

Foreign Companies: Complaints

Louise Haigh: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, pursuant to the Answer of 21 October 2015 to Question 10867, how many of the complaints were (a) referred to his Department's solicitors and (b) resulted in compliance with the Overseas Companies Regulations 2009.

Anna Soubry: Of the ninety complaints referred to in the previous question, twenty were referred to Companies House’s own solicitors: they handle the vast majority of Companies House’s legal work.Of the ninety cases, two companies complied with the requirement to register a UK establishment of an overseas company at Companies House. Both registrations followed a request to register from Companies House’s solicitors.In respect of the remaining complaints, there was insufficient information to conclude that the overseas company was required to register a UK establishment at Companies House.

Apprentices: Taxation

Helen Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, whether the apprenticeship levy will apply to charities who employ more than 250 people.

Nick Boles: The apprenticeships levy will apply to all UK employers but will only be paid by those with a pay bill of more than £3 million. We will continue to engage with employers, including the charity sector, in the development and implementation of the apprenticeship levy.

Arms Trade

Hilary Benn: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, whether there have been any changes to the Government's policy on arms export licences since the Written Ministerial Statement of 25 March 2014, 9WS.

Anna Soubry: The framework for arms export licensing remains as set out in the Consolidated EU and National Arms Export Licensing Criteria, known as the Consolidated Criteria. This was last updated by the Written Ministerial Statement of 25 March 2014.

Arms Trade: International Law

Hilary Benn: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, with reference to the Written Statement of 25 March 2014, 9WS, whether it is still the Government's policy not to grant an arms license if there is a clear risk that the items might be used in the commission of a serious violation of international humanitarian law.

Anna Soubry: The framework for arms export licensing remains as set out in the Consolidated EU and National Arms Export Licensing Criteria, known as the Consolidated Criteria. All licence applications are rigorously assessed on a case by case basis against the Consolidated Criteria. A licence would not be granted if to do so would be a breach of the Criteria, including if there was a clear risk that the items might be used in the commission of a serious violation of International Humanitarian Law.

Small Businesses: Finance

Seema Malhotra: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what steps he plans to take to improve access to finance for SMEs.

Anna Soubry: The Government is taking steps to improve financing opportunities for smaller businesses through the British Business Bank. The Bank is making business finance markets for smaller businesses work more effectively and dynamically and is already supporting £2.4 billion of finance to over 40,000 smaller businesses, and participating in a further £3.3 billion of finance to mid-cap businesses. It aims to facilitate up to £10 billion of finance by 2019. In addition, measures in the Small Business, Enterprise and Employment Act 2015 will require banks to refer customers who have been declined for a loan to alternative finance providers via designated platforms. This is expected to provide a significant boost to diversity and competition in business lending and is due to be implemented later this year.

Small Businesses: Exports

Seema Malhotra: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what assessment he has made of the ease by which UK SMEs can access the export market.

Anna Soubry: Increasing exports is a key factor in the Government’s long-term economic plan and, through the GREAT campaign, it continues to promote the support available to those UK businesses looking to take advantage of overseas opportunities.According to data from the Office of National Statistics, since 2010 UK exports have increased from £444.4bn to £513.5bn per annum. At the same time, the number of UK exporting businesses has increased from 188,000 in 2010 to over 221,000 in 2014. The Government commitment is to increase this figure to over 288,000 UK exporting businesses per annum by 2020; an increase of 100,000 on the 2010 figure.

Fireworks: Safety

Charlotte Leslie: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, whether his Department plans to review its policy on the safety of private firework use in residential areas.

Anna Soubry: I am aware of concerns raised recently regarding the safety of fireworks available for sale to the general public. However, I have no immediate plans to review the regulations governing their use.The general public are allowed by law to buy and use Category 1 to 3 fireworks which have low risk and noise levels and are considered safe for family use and for private displays in residential areas.They are banned from purchasing, using or possessing Category 4 fireworks which present higher levels of risk and noise. These can only be bought and used by professional fireworks display operators who have successfully undertaken an accredited pyrotechnics training course.Although a minority of anti-social people misuse fireworks, the majority enjoy them sensibly, responsibly and in accordance with the manufacturers’ instructions.

Green Investment Bank: Privatisation

Kevin Brennan: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what impact assessment the Government has undertaken on its decision to privatise the Green Investment Bank.

Anna Soubry: The Government is moving UK Green Investment Bank plc (GIB) into private ownership so it can continue operating in the same way it does now only funded with private capital rather than relying on taxpayers’ support. The detailed background and supporting case for this move was set out in the policy statement we published on 18 November. Decisions on the proposed sale are being taken in accordance with best practice to ensure all available options are properly examined in a detailed business case and that a robust valuation process is followed. The process does not involve preparation of an impact assessment as there are no regulatory or significant cost impacts of a majority sale of GIB, or changes to pre-existing policy goals for GIB.

Ministry of Defence

Syria: Military Intervention

Caroline Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many Brimstone missiles have been used in Syria since 2 December 2015.

Penny Mordaunt: Between 2 December 2015 and 12 January 2016 there have been four Brimstone missiles used against Daesh targets by the RAF in Syria.

Nuclear Weapons

Paul Flynn: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to the Answer of 19 December 2006 to an oral question from the former hon. Member for North Devon, on Nuclear Weapons, Official Report, column 1902W, what plan his Department has for ensuring an adequate supply of tritium to maintain the UK's nuclear weapons' capability until 2055; and what the projected cost of those plans is.

Mr Philip Dunne: This information is being withheld for the purpose of safeguarding national security.

Nuclear Weapons

Paul Flynn: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, on what date the most recent stocktake between the UK and the US under the 1958 Mutual Defence Agreement took place; where that meeting was held; what matters were discussed at that meeting; and where and when the next such meeting is scheduled to take place.

Mr Philip Dunne: The last Stocktake meeting between the Government and US Administration under the 1958 Mutual Defence Agreement took place at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, US on 18 March 2015. Matters discussed at this meeting included: review of actions and decisions; technical and programme updates; discussion of Strategic Collaborations; and planning 2015-16 activity. The next Stocktake meeting is scheduled to take place in London later this year.

Military Exercises

Paul Flynn: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, where Exercise Astral Climb 2015 took place; and where Exercise Astral Bend 2016 will take place.

Mr Philip Dunne: Exercise Astral Climb 2015 took place in Nottinghamshire. Exercise Astral Bend 2016 will take place in Oxfordshire

Armed forces: Transport

Paul Flynn: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the costs were of operating the Truck Convoy Heavy Duty in each of the last three years.

Mr Philip Dunne: The operating costs for the Truck Convoy Heavy Duty (TCHD) for the last three financial years are provided in the table below.2012-132013-142014-15Calculated TCHD Running Costs (£ VAT ex)107,44690,00082,195

Radioactive Materials: Transport

Paul Flynn: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to the reply of 17 March 2011, Official Report, column 514W, on radioactive materials transport, whether the practice of displaying radioactive materials hazard warning signs on vehicles carrying special nuclear materials will continue following the retirement from service of High Security Vehicles.

Mr Philip Dunne: It is not current Ministry of Defence policy to display radioactive material hazard signs on the Truck Cargo Heavy Duty (TCHD) Mk3 when transporting special nuclear materials. Adequate safety arrangements, as required by legislation, are in place to ensure the necessary information is available to emergency services in the event of an incident.

Armed Forces: Museums and Galleries

Mr Jeffrey M. Donaldson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what plans he has for funding by his Department of regimental museums over the next five years; and if he will make a statement.

Mark Lancaster: In addition to the National Army Museum, in the current financial year the Ministry of Defence (MOD) supported 69 regimental and corps museums across the UK through a combination of a £1.3 million total grant in aid, £1.6 million salary costs, and providing utilities and some support running costs when a museum is located on a MOD site. Funding beyond the current financial year will be set later this year, and will be subject to the normal review process.

Australia: Nuclear Weapons

Stewart Malcolm McDonald: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if the Government will issue issuing an apology to the indigenous people of Australia for British nuclear tests carried out on their land in the 1950s and 1960s.

Mark Lancaster: In 1968, Australia signed an agreement with the UK confirming that the clean-up of all test sites had been completed satisfactorily. As announced to the House on 10 December 1993,(Official Report, column 421), the Government agreed to make an ex gratia payment of £20 million to the Federal Government of Australia as a contribution to the cost of the further clean-up of the Maralinga site. A copy of the note giving effect to this agreement was placed in the Library of the House. The note also records that the Government of Australia indemnified the Government of the UK against claims from Australian nationals or residents. The Government now regards the matter as closed.



Maralinga
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Ministry of Defence: Research

Mr Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what estimate his Department has made of the (a) total research and development spend by his Department in each of the last five years and (b) forecast research and development spend by his Department in the next five years.

Mr Philip Dunne: Ministry of Defence (MOD) research and development expenditure is published in "Departmental Resources Statistical bulletin" (Excel Table 5), which is available at the following website:https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/defence-departmental-resources-2015There is no fixed forward budget for research and development because development expenditure is mostly part of the equipment programme applied as needed against the development requirements of individual projects. The government will dedicate 1.2% of its growing Defence budget to the Defence Science and Technology Programme, the centralised research budget, under the Department's Chief Scientific Adviser.

Bahrain: Military Bases

Andrew Stephenson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment he has made of the effect of the establishment of the HMS Juffair naval base on the UK's ability to react to humanitarian crises in the Gulf.

Penny Mordaunt: The improvement to the Support Facility at Mina Salman Port in Bahrain will provide a permanent expansion of the Ministry of Defence's presence in the Gulf. The enhanced facilities will provide better support for ships on operations including supporting humanitarian crises.

Yemen

Ben Howlett: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what his Department's defence strategy is towards Yemen; and if he will make a statement.

Mr Philip Dunne: The Ministry of Defence is committed to supporting the legitimate Yemeni government in establishing a stable and secure Yemen and we continue to work with regional and international partners to tackle the threat posed by AQAP and Daesh in Yemen. Reaching a comprehensive peaceful solution to the current conflict is the top priority as a political solution is the best way to bring long-term stability to the country.

RAF Northolt

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how much his Department has received from civilian business jet wage of RAF Northolt in each of the last five years; and if he will make a statement.

Mr Philip Dunne: The Ministry of Defence has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

RAF Northolt

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, when he next plans to review the limit on the number of civilian flights allowed from RAF Northolt; and if he will make a statement.

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many civilian business jet movements there were at RAF Northolt in each of the last five years; and if he will make a statement.

Mr Philip Dunne: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave him on 14 October 2015 in response to Question 10882 and the answer I gave him on 5 September 2013 in response to Question 167738. There are no plans to review further the limit on the number of commercial civilian movements at RAF Northolt, which remains 12,000.



RAF Northolt Air Traffic
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RAF Northolt: Flybe

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what discussions he has had with Flybe about its proposal to use RAF Northolt for domestic flights; and if he will make a statement.

Mr Philip Dunne: I have received and responded to two pieces of correspondence from Flybe on this topic. I advised the airline that I do not believe it appropriate to discuss their interest in use of RAF Northolt until after the Government has responded to the Davies Commission on Aviation capacity in the South East and greater clarity has been achieved on the future operating and airspace environment around RAF Northolt.

Middle East: Armed Conflict

Mr Philip Hollobone: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment he has made of the security situation in the Sinai and its impact on the military capability of Hamas in the Gaza Strip.

Penny Mordaunt: The Egyptians have been carrying out operations against violent extremists in the Sinai since late 2013. We understand that as part of those operations the Egyptian Armed Forces have destroyed the majority of the tunnels between Sinai and Gaza. This is likely to have reduced significantly the smuggling of weapons to Hamas and other armed groups in Gaza.

Armed Forces: Floods

Andrew Stephenson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many soldiers of the Lancashire Regiment were deployed in tackling recent flooding; how many reserve soldiers of that Regiment were involved; how long that deployment lasted; and what assessment he has made of the effect of those soldiers' contribution to the wider recovery and rescue operation.

Penny Mordaunt: 2nd Battalion the Duke of Lancaster's Regiment (2 LANCS) were the UK Standby Battalion throughout the period of the recent flooding. They were deployed as follows:13-15 November 2015 - Three Liaison Officers (planners) were deployed: two in Penrith, Cumbria and one in Hutton, Lancashire. A company of around 100 troops were deployed constructing flood barriers at Braystones, Cumbria and Ribchester and Whalley, Lancashire. A further two companies of around 100 troops each were at 12 hours and 24 hours notice to support, but did not deploy.6-16 December 2015 - Around 300 troops, 200 of whom were from 2 LANCS, deployed to conduct tasks across two counties; around 10 troops deployed to Lancaster Hospital, the remainder deployed throughout Cumbria to tasks at Carlisle, Patterdale and Glenridding, Appleby, St Michael on Wyre, Keswick, Cockermouth, Garstang and the clearance of the A591. In addition, there were around 300 troops held at notice in unit lines 200 of whom were from 2 LANCS.28 December 2015 - 8 January 2016 - Around 400 troops from 2 LANCS deployed, as did around 100 troops from other Regiments. These troops conducted tasks within this period across four counties at: Croston, the River Douglas, Ribchester and Whalley in Lancashire, as well as locations across North and West Yorkshire and Cumbria. There were further around 1050 troops from other Regiments held at notice.Although around 35 Reservists were employed during the December and January periods of support, and around 5 Reservists were held at short notice, none of them were from 2 LANCS.The Armed Forces, particularly 2 LANCS as the UK Standby Battalion, were heavily involved in the emergency response in what was a very dynamic situation and they played a significant role in helping local authorities and the Environment Agency respond to the floods. I would like to take this opportunity again to thank all those involved in the response to the floods across all the affected areas, from troops on the ground to air crews and those in command roles.

Armed Forces Covenant: Northern Ireland

Gavin Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what proportion of the Armed Forces Covenant applies to Northern Ireland.

Gavin Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how much of the Armed Forces Covenant has been enacted in Northern Ireland.

Gavin Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment he has made of the reasons for delays in the full implementation of the Armed Forces Covenant in Northern Ireland.

Mark Lancaster: Since the launch of the Armed Forces Covenant in 2011 the Ministry of Defence has worked closely with Northern Ireland Government Departments, Service charities and other groups to build on existing measures to support the Armed Forces Community. In 2013, the Select Committee on Northern Ireland Affairs reported that, less some specific areas, Covenant measures were being applied in Northern Ireland.I acknowledge that the Armed Forces Covenant does not enjoy the same level of awareness or appreciation in Northern Ireland as in other parts of the UK. However, I am clear that every effort is being made to implement the Covenant against the particular nuances of the Northern Irish political and legal environment. The Ministry of Defence and other parties work tirelessly to ensure good relationships help develop improved understanding of specific needs and I have been impressed by the way in which solutions to these needs are generated in a focussed and professional manner. Such provision is fully commensurate with the aims and objectives of the Covenant, whether it is branded as such or not.Service personnel in Northern Ireland are well-catered for under the auspices of the Covenant and are at no particular disadvantage, although more work is needed to identify the needs of those within the veterans community. This work is ongoing, well-resourced, and fully recognised as activity provided within the scope of the Armed Forces Covenant.

Syria: Humanitarian Aid

Mr Roger Godsiff: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 12 January 2016 to Question 21436, whether the UK will reconsider humanitarian assistance by air to Madaya in Syria if the Assad regime resumes its blockade; and if the Government will monitor the situation in order to take action if land access is blocked again.

Penny Mordaunt: The UK will consider any option compliant with international law that might save lives in Syria. However, the UK does not plan to drop aid to besieged and hard to reach areas inside Syria. This is not the most effective way to improve the humanitarian situation. It would also involve a considerable risk to slow, low-flying transport aircraft both from hostile air defence systems and even low-technology threats such as machine-gun and small-arms fire.

Minesweepers

Mrs Madeleine Moon: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether the 2010 contract for £15 million with BAE Systems for the replacement of propulsion systems in the eight Hunt-class mine countermeasures vessels is still to be completed by October 2016; and if he will make a statement.

Mrs Madeleine Moon: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many Hunter Class mine countermeasures vessels have completed their re-engineering; when he expects all eight to be completed; and if he will make a statement.

Mr Philip Dunne: To date, work to replace the propulsion system on four of the Hunt Class mine countermeasures vessels has been completed with the fifth due for completion later this year. Due to changes applied to the ships upkeep programme combined with the need to address emerging engineering issues, work on the remaining three vessels is now scheduled for completion by late 2019.

Syria: Military Intervention

Alan Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 12 January 2016 to Question 21502, airstrikes in Syria, whether the robust process referred to includes an assessment of the number of civilian workers likely to be deployed in such installations and the potential number of casualties and other collateral damage from such airstrikes.

Penny Mordaunt: Yes. This is the most important part of the process.

Bahrain: HMS Defender

Douglas Chapman: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the cost was to the public purse of hosting Crown Prince Salman bin Hamad Isa Al Khalifa and a Bahraini delegation aboard HMS Defender at the event to mark the 200th anniversary of UK-Bahrain relations.

Mr Philip Dunne: As part of the 200th Anniversay Celebarations marking Bahrain and UK relations, HMS DEFENDER, which was deployed to the region, hosted His Royal Highness, Deputy King Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa and approximately 200 guests for a Capability Demonstration. This event cost £940.

Reserve Forces

Mr Jeffrey M. Donaldson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what steps he has taken to ensure that checks on the complement and manning limit of reservist regiments are performed regularly and on time.

Mr Julian Brazier: The Reserve is a vital component of the Army's military capability and the Ministry of Defence is committed to ensuring it continues to grow and contains the correct capability mix. There are a series of mechanisms to ensure this is the case.The Secretary of State chairs regular meetings to review manning levels in the Army Reserve. In addition, manning levels are routinely reviewed through the Defence People and Training Board, Defence Board Meetings and a series of holding-to-account processes.The Army also monitors the size and shape of its Reserve through bi-monthly boards, whilst the Executive Committee of the Army Board reviews manning levels on a quarterly basis.

Armed Forces: Mental Health Services

Mr Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 11 January 2016 to Question 21330, what estimate his Department has made of its spend on mental health specialists in each of the next five years.

Mark Lancaster: As previously reported, the Defence Medical Services' average annual staff costs for military, reserves and civilian mental health personnel across the last three years was £20.39 million. Our current intention is to maintain the numbers of mental health specialists at broadly the same level over the next five years.A recent study (the Defence Mental Health Services Review) recommended the civilianisation of 40 military posts. Overall, there will be a net increase of two posts and minor changes to the mix of specialisms. It is anticipated that this will result in a minor decrease in overall annual staff costs. This cannot yet be quantified as the detailed timing of implementation is yet to be determined.

Maritime Patrol Aircraft

Douglas Chapman: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to Question 21228, if he will place in the Library a copy of the Letter of Request sent to the Defense Security Cooperation Agency.

Mr Philip Dunne: It would be inappropriate for the Department to place a copy of the Letter of Request in the Library of the House, as it contains commercially sensitive information. Making the information publicly available would undermine the US and UK Governments' commercial position and hence jeopardise the Department's ability to ensure value for money.

Armed Forces: Northern Ireland

Mr Gregory Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what progress his Department has made on compiling a definitive central list of all service personnel who lost their lives on operations in Northern Ireland between 1969 and 2007.

Penny Mordaunt: Work to produce a central list of Service personnel who lost their lives on operations in Northern Ireland between 1969 and 2007 has been a time consuming and detailed task. The process of finalising the details should appropriately consider the format of such a list and where such a list might be hosted in order to appropriately commemorate the loss of personnel during this operation. Publication will be made once due consideration of these issues has been completed.

Reserve Forces: Northern Ireland

Mr Gregory Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what change there has been in the number of personnel in the Maritime Reserves Units in Northern Ireland in the last 12 months.

Mr Julian Brazier: The Maritime Reserves are represented in Northern Ireland by the Royal Naval Reserve unit HMS HIBERNIA in Lisburn, and the Royal Marines Reserve Belfast Detachment of RMR Scotland.The table below sets out the number of all personnel in the Maritime Reserve units in Northern Ireland for the period required:UnitNumber of personnel as of 1 December 2014Number of personnel as of 1 December 2015HMS HIBERNIA80110Belfast Detachment2040Note: Figures have been rounded to the nearest 10 in accordance with the Departmental rounding policy.

Armed Forces: Training

Mrs Madeleine Moon: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 10 December 2015 to Question 18551, for what reason his Department no longer holds records on trainee attendance and courses held; and what assessment he has made of the compliance of the disposal of those records with the policy and procedures set out in the Answer of 12 January 2016 to Question 20817.

Mark Lancaster: I have asked officials to look into this matter. I will write to the hon. Member once I have received their report and place a copy of my letter in the Library of the House.

Armed Forces: Training

Mrs Madeleine Moon: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if his Department will request the Senior Information Officer at (a) MOD Grantown-on-Spey, (b) MOD Llanrwst, (c) MOD Fairbourne and (d) MOD Crickhowell to provide a list of what records are held at that location of numbers of attendees on training courses, costs maintenance improvement and development costs, building of storage facilities and travel and accommodation costs for years prior to 2015.

Mark Lancaster: I refer the hon. Member to the answers I have provided previously in relation to the RAF FDAT review. I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 30 November 2015 to Question 17694 regarding the number of attendees on training courses; the answer I gave on 2 December 2015 to Question 17679 regarding the maintenance, improvement and development costs in addition to my letter to you dated 17 December 2015; the answer I gave on 4 December 2015 to Question 17675 regarding the building of storage facilities and the answer I gave on 4 December 2015 to Question 17680 regarding travel and accommodation costs.In accordance with JSP 441, the Department only retains documents worthy of permanent preservation which are judged to have short or long term corporate value.As the hon. Member will be aware, we are currently reviewing some of the previous answers previously given to her.



QnA extracts on Military Bases
(Word Document, 24.59 KB)

Islamic State: Military Intervention

Alan Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 12 January 2016 to Question 21502, on Syria: military intervention, what the evidential basis is for the statement that there have been no reports of civilian casualties as a result of RAF airstrikes in Iraq or Syria.

Alison McGovern: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will make an assessment of reports by independent monitoring groups of civilians casualties caused by British air strikes in Syria; and if he will make a statement.

Penny Mordaunt: All UK airstrikes in Iraq and Syria are assessed post-strike using the best available imagery, intelligence and other sources of information to assess the impact of the strike on the target and affected area. This assessment, coupled with pre-strike checks provides the evidence base to support the statement that in the hundreds of airstrikes conducted by the RAF to date in Iraq and, more recently Syria, we have found no evidence of civilian casualties arising from UK airstrikes.

Armed Forces: Cadets

Mark Garnier: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what steps he is taking to encourage recruitment of cadets.

Mr Julian Brazier: We are determined that many more young people benefit from the Cadets experience. Hence we have committed an extra £50 million to increase the number of Cadet Units in schools across the UK to 500 by 2020.More widely, the Community Cadet Forces continue to recruit new Cadets. Over 3,000 Community Cadet Force Units provide exceptional opportunities for over 131,000 young people to develop key life skills.

Russia: Defence

Daniel Kawczynski: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what discussions he is having with his Russian counterpart on improving collaboration on defence affairs.

Michael Fallon: I am not currently engaged in any discussions with my Russian counterpart. The illegal annexation of Crimea in 2014 and Russia’s continuing support to separatists in eastern Ukraine do not allow a return to normal engagement.However, in the interests of Air and Maritime safety, I have authorised MOD officials to undertake limited military to military engagement with the Russians, which is now in progress.

Defence Equipment: Procurement

Sir Gerald Howarth: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what his priorities are for the acquisition of defence equipment over the next two years.

Mr Philip Dunne: The Strategic Defence and Security Review provided clarity of the Government’s defence equipment priorities not just for the next two years, but for the rest of this Parliament. We have committed to an additional £12 billion for the Equipment Plan to £178 billion over the next 10 years. This includes finalising investment proposals for the next stage of the Successor nuclear deterrent programme and the procurement of a new fleet of nine Boeing P8 Maritime Patrol Aircraft, as we build towards Joint Force 2025.

Syria: Military Intervention

Carol Monaghan: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many Brimstone missiles have been used by the RAF in Syria since 2 December 2015.

Michael Fallon: Between 2 December 2015 and 18 January 2016 there have been five Brimstone missiles used against Daesh targets by the RAF in Syria. There have also been 32 Paveway IV and 6 Hellfire missiles used for the same period in Syria.

Saudi Arabia: Arms Trade

Patricia Gibson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how much accrued to the public purse from sales of arms to Saudi Arabia in 2015.

Mr Philip Dunne: Official UK defence export statistics are compiled each year by the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills and the figures for 2015 are not yet available.

Department for Communities and Local Government

Communities and Local Government: Information Officers

Diana Johnson: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, how many press and public relations staff are employed by (a) his Department, (b) the Planning Inspectorate, (c) the Queen Elizabeth II Conference Centre, (d) the Housing Ombudsman, (e) the Homes and Communities Agency, (f) the Leasehold Advisory Service and (g) the Local Government Ombudsman; how many of these employees earn more than (i) £50,000 and (ii) £100,000; and what the total expenditure was on press and public relations by each of those organisations in the most recent year for which figures are available.

Brandon Lewis: The Government communications profession saved £330 million for taxpayers last year compared to 2009 to 2010 by making its campaigns more cost effective.This means that we reduced the Government communications spending by a total of £1 billion during the last Parliament.The Department employs 17 full time equivalent Press Officers, including the Head of External Communications.Two staff members earn more than £50,000. No staff member earns more than £100,000.In 2014-15 the Department’s non-staff press spend was £266,235. We expect the full year expenditure in 2015-16 to be approximately £150,000.The Department has spent nothing on external public relations from 2010-11 to 2015-16.The Planning Inspectorate employs one senior communications officer who has responsibility for media handling as well as other communication related activities. Salary costs are below £50,000. Given the nature of its role, the Inspectorate does not undertake any media campaigns or marketing of its services.The Queen Elizabeth II Conference Centre does undertake some public relations spending in its capacity as a commercial trading fund to generate sales leads for the venue. It does not have an in-house press office. It spent £36,000 in 2014-15. This spending is fully covered by the revenues from commercial bookings. It does not employ any press or public relations staff.The Housing Ombudsman does not employ any press or public relations staff or haverelated press spend.There are no staff at the Homes and Communities Agency who are primarily employed as media and public relations professionals. However there are 10.74 Full Time Equivalent staff who, to varying degrees, undertake some media and PR activity. Two of these staff earn more than £50,000; none earn more than £100,000. Expenditure on press and public relations at the Agency, January to December 2015, was £14,537.26.Leasehold Advisory Service does not employ any press or public relations staff or have any related press spend.The Local Government Ombudsman has one member of press or public relations staff. Their salary is less than £50,000. They spent £500 printing their Annual Report.

Homelessness

Phil Boswell: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what assessment he has made of the implications for his policies of the conclusion of the Joseph Rowntree Foundation Report entitled, Monitoring Poverty and Social Exclusion 2015, that the rise in homeless households from 40,000 to 53,000 between 2009-10 and 2014-15 was primarily due to families reaching the end of their private rented tenancies.

Brandon Lewis: One person without a home is one too many. The Government has invested over £500 million since 2010, enabling local authorities to help 935,800 households from becoming homeless.But there is more to do to prevent homelessness and we are working with homelessness organisations and across departments to consider options, including legislation, to prevent more people from becoming homeless in the first place including as a result of the ending of an Assured Shorthold Tenancy

Communities and Local Government: Public Expenditure

Mr Alistair Carmichael: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what his Department's revised planned expenditure is for 2015-16 following the recent transfer of responsibility for fire and rescue services to the Home Department.

Brandon Lewis: I refer the rt. hon. Member to the Written Ministerial Statement of 5 January, HCWS448. The Department’s Budget will be updated as part of the Supplementary Estimates process.

Communities and Local Government: UK Membership of EU

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what contingency arrangements his Department has made for the eventuality of a majority leave vote in the upcoming EU referendum.

Brandon Lewis: I refer my hon Friend to the answer given to him by my rt. hon. Friend the Prime Minister on 14 January to PQ 21952.

Flood Control: Planning Permission

Mr Mark Hendrick: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what plans his Department has to update planning guidance on using money from Section 106 agreements to fund flood prevention projects.

Brandon Lewis: The Government is investing in flood protection at record levels, with an unprecedented 6-year commitment of £2.3 billion in more than 1,500 projects to better protect an additional 300,000 homes by 2021.National planning policy is designed to protect people and property from flooding. Local planning authorities are expected to avoid inappropriate development in areas at risk of flooding by directing development away from areas at highest risk. In addition government guidance is clear that policies for seeking section 106 planning obligations should be set out in Local Plans or neighbourhood plans to enable fair and open testing of the policies at examination.Mitigation measures to make development acceptable in flood risk areas can be made a requirement of any planning consent. All local planning authorities are expected to follow the strict tests set out in national planning policy and guidance. Where these tests are not met, national policy is very clear that new development should not be allowed.The Government's preferred approach for enabling developer contributions to infrastructure is the Community Infrastructure Levy, which is faster and more transparent than individually negotiated section 106 agreements. The Levy can fund infrastructure requirements where they are most needed across an area. Legislation and Government guidance specifies that flood defences form part of the infrastructure that can be funded in this way. More than 100 authorities currently charge the Levy and well over 100 more have made substantive progress towards doing so.

Housing: Construction

Jake Berry: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, how many applications to buy privately-owned land for residential development were made in each year since 2009.

Brandon Lewis: The information requested is not collected by the Department.

Housing: Yorkshire and the Humber

Michael Dugher: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, how many homes have been built in (a) Barnsley East constituency, (b) Barnsley, (c) South Yorkshire and (d) Yorkshire and the Humber in each year since 2010.

Brandon Lewis: Statistics on new build housing starts and completions in Barnsley and South Yorkshire (Metropolitan County) are published on the Department's website at:http://www.gov.uk/government/statistical-data-sets/live-tables-on-house-buildingThese statistics are not available by parliamentary constituency.

Members: Correspondence

Mr Mark Hendrick: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, when he intends to respond to the letter from the hon. Member for Preston dated 7 October 2015 on rents for supported housing schemes run by housing associations and local authorities.

Brandon Lewis: This was answered and sent out on 14 January.

Members: Correspondence

Mr Mark Hendrick: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what steps he has taken to improve the time to respond to correspondence from hon. Members and Peers since the tabling of the statement on 3 June 2015, Handling Members' Correspondence in 2014, HCWS11.

Mr Mark Hendrick: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, how many letters his Department received from hon. Members and Peers in each month in 2015; and how many such letters received a substantive response within 10 working days.

Brandon Lewis: I refer the hon. Member to my answer of 15 December 2015, PQ 19650.The reporting of performance of Government Departments in handling correspondence from hon. Members is co-ordinated by the Cabinet Office and published annually.

European Regional Development Fund

Chi Onwurah: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what his policy is on the devolution of European Regional Development Fund funding to local authorities.

James Wharton: The Government will consider devolving decisions in relation to the European Regional Development Fund as part of devolution deals where this will deliver improved outcomes.

Housing: Overcrowding

Frank Field: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, how much of his Department's budget has been allocated to addressing overcrowding in housing in each of the last five years.

Brandon Lewis: The Government believes that increasing supply of housing is the best way to tackle overcrowding.Last year, net additions to supply of housing increased by 25% on the previous year, the highest increase for 28 years.In the recent Spending Review, and in the Prime Minister’s announcement of 4 January this year, we have announced the biggest affordable housing programme since the 1970’s, aimed at bringing land into the system, increasing rates of build out, increasing opportunities for home ownership, and delivering a step change in housing supply.We have also provided £6.7 million to a number of local authorities to help them tackle acute and complex problems associated with rogue landlords, many of whom rent out overcrowded properties.

Property: Flood Control

Yasmin Qureshi: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what steps his Department is taking to support property level flood resilience measures.

James Wharton: The Department is supporting local authorities affected by Storm Desmond and Storm Eva with community recovery, business support and property resilience through the Communities and Business Recovery Scheme. Initial guidance on the support available was sent to local authorities in December. More detailed guidance on support for property resilience was issued on 15 January, on the same day that a Property Level Resilience Workshop was hosted at Manchester Metropolitan University.To date the Department has paid out over £47 million under the Communities and Business Recovery Scheme. It is for local authorities to determine how to use this money to best meet local need and ensure value for money.

Housing: Floods

Yasmin Qureshi: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, how many £500 grants were provided to help households affected by flooding in each local authority in the Greater Manchester area between 1 December 2015 and 13 January 2016; and how much funding has been received by each of those councils to provide such grants up to 13 January 2016.

James Wharton: The Department is supporting local authorities affected by Storm Desmond and Storm Eva with community recovery, business support and property resilience through the Communities and Business Recovery Scheme. It is for local authorities to determine how to use this money to best meet local need and ensure value for money.To date the Department has paid out over £47 million under the Communities and Business Recovery Scheme, including the amounts below to local authorities in the Greater Manchester area.Local authorityFunding received (£)Bolton384,377Bury1,495,514City of Manchester129,290Oldham29,910Rochdale1,403,164Salford1,981,754Trafford3,694Wigan178,009

Scotland Office

Scotland Office: Information Officers

Diana Johnson: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, how many press and public relations staff are employed by his Department; how many of those employees paid more than (a) £50,000 and (b) £100,000; and what the total expenditure was on press and public relations by his Department in the most recent year for which figures are available.

David Mundell: Holding answer received on 14 January 2016



The Scotland Office currently employs five press and public relations staff. Three members of staff are paid more than £50,000 and no staff were paid more than £100,000.The total cost of permanent Press and Public Relations staff in 2014/15 was £348,895.

Scotland Office: Staff

Liz Kendall: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, how many people of each gender work in his Department.

David Mundell: As at 31 December 2015, there were 32 men and 27 women working in the Scotland Office.Information on staff gender breakdown by grade in the Scotland Office for previous years is published in the Office’s annual reports. The latest annual report for 2014-15 is available in the House of Commons Library.

Higher Education: Scotland

Stuart C. McDonald: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, pursuant to the Written Statement of 11 January 2016, HCWS458, what steps his Government has taken to implement the Smith Commission's recommendation to explore the possibility of introducing formal schemes to allow international higher education students graduating from Scottish further and higher education institutions to remain in Scotland and contribute to economic activity for a defined period of time; whether he has consulted with Scottish further and higher education institutions on this matter; and (c) for what reasons his Department has not discussed this matter with the Scottish Government.

David Mundell: I have regular discussions with the Scottish Government’s Deputy First Minister on all aspects of the Smith Commission Agreement, the UK and Scottish Governments have had a number of meetings to discuss this issue and my written ministerial statement was shared with the Scottish Government in advance of publication. Scotland Office Ministers and officials also have regular discussions with further and higher education institutions and representative organisations such as Universities Scotland.

Work and Health Programme: Scotland

Margaret Ferrier: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, pursuant to the Answer of 10 December 2015 to Question 18729 and the oral contribution of the Financial Secretary to the Treasury of 6 January 2016, Official Report, columns 274-5, whether he has discussed the introduction of the new Work and Health Programme in Scotland with the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions.

David Mundell: The Scotland Office has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

British Transport Police: Police Service of Scotland

Danny Kinahan: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, what representations he has received on the Scottish Government's proposals to absorb the British Transport Police into Police Scotland.

David Mundell: The Scotland Office has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Women and Equalities

Government Equalities Office: Ministerial Policy Advisers

Liz Kendall: To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities, how many people of each gender have worked as special advisers in the Government Equalities Office since 2010.

Caroline Dinenage: Since May 2010, four female and two male special advisers working for successive Ministers for Women and Equalities have had responsibilities which have included women and equalities issues.

Department for Transport

High Speed 2 Railway Line

Mrs Cheryl Gillan: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference to paragraph 11.10 of the Spending Review and Autumn Statement 2015, how the £55 billion budget for High Speed 2 has been split between phase 1 and phase 2 of that project.

Mr Robert Goodwill: Spending Review 2015 set out a long-term budget of £55.7bn (2015 prices) for delivering HS2. Of this, approximately £27.2bn has been apportioned to Phase One and £28.5bn to Phase Two.

Large Goods Vehicle Drivers: Working Hours

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if his Department will support a claim by (a) petroleum suppliers who supply home heating oil and (b) other petroleum suppliers for a derogation from the EU rules on the amount of weekly rest required by such suppliers' drivers; and what stage that application for a derogation has reached.

Andrew Jones: In December 2015 the Federation of Petroleum Suppliers sent the Department for Transport an application for the UK to submit a request to the European Commission, under Article 14(1) of Regulation (EC) 561/2006, for a derogation on the weekly rest requirement in the EU drivers’ hours rules for drivers of tankers delivering domestic fuel. This application is being considered and a decision on whether to support it and apply to the Commission will be made in due course.

High Speed 2 Railway Line

Mrs Cheryl Gillan: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what estimate his Department currently uses for the cost of rolling stock for High Speed 2.

Mr Robert Goodwill: The current estimate for High Speed 2 rolling stock is approximately £7.0bn (in 2015 prices).

High Speed 2 Railway Line

Mrs Cheryl Gillan: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference to paragraph 11.10 of the Spending Review and Autumn Statement 2015, whether the figure of £55.7 billion for High Speed 2 is exclusive of the cost of rolling stock for that project.

Mr Robert Goodwill: The £55.7bn long-term funding envelope for delivering HS2 includes funding provision for rolling stock.

High Speed 2 Railway Line

Mrs Cheryl Gillan: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps his Department plans to take to ensure that communities and environmental mitigation is allocated sufficient funding in Phase 2 of High Speed 2.

Mr Robert Goodwill: In the 2015 Spending Review, the Government restated the long-term funding envelope for the HS2 programme at £55.7bn in 2015 prices. This envelope includes funding for Phase Two with contingency. We intend to deliver the most cost effective design for HS2 and ensure that the best value is achieved. We have a regime in place for delivering HS2 and managing costs which will ensure there is sufficient funding for community and environmental mitigation.

Great Western Railway Line

John Redwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment he has made of the potential effect on seating capacity of the Great Western Main Line electrification project.

Claire Perry: The electrification programme will help dramatically increase seating capacity on the Great Western Main Line, with the Intercity Express Programme providing up to 40% more seats in the morning peak (compared to the HST fleet it replaces) in to Paddington and the new AT300s increasing seating capacity on Newbury to London services.

London-Brighton Railway Line

Caroline Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 11 January 2016 to Question 20630, if he will publish the initial findings of the London and South Coast Rail Corridor Study covering the establishment of a Brighton Mainline 2.

Claire Perry: The Government does not propose to publish the initial findings, which are being more fully developed at present. The Study is expected to be completed early in 2016, and the Government will subsequently consider the timeframe for releasing the study findings, including our response.

Public Transport: Mobile Phones

Mr Gregory Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what the accessibility of mobile broadband services and wifi on public transport was (a) on the last date for which figures are available and (b) in 2010.

Claire Perry: Modes of public transport vary significantly with different factors influencing the availability of mobile broadband services which is generally outwith the control of the transport operator. It is not monitored and no data are available.Wi-Fi equipment has and continues to be installed by public transport operators to improve internet connectivity for passengers. Generally, the decision to install Wi-Fi is a commercial decision for the relevant operator and, where relevant, subsidising authority. With the exception of the Department for Transport-controlled rail franchised services, it has not been monitored and no data are available.On all Department for Transport-controlled rail franchises, in England and Wales, free Wi-Fi is being introduced. Currently around 30% of train carriages operating within the DfT controlled franchises and serving around 50% of rail passenger journeys have Wi-Fi available. Our intention is for 90% of passenger journeys to benefit from free Wi-Fi by the end of 2018. No figures are available for 2010.

Railways: Electrification

Margaret Greenwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 11 January 2015 to Question 21125, what estimate he has made of the remaining track that will be electrified in connection with the programmes and projects that will go ahead for delivery by 2019 and were referred to in that Answer.

Claire Perry: Pursuant to the Answer of 11 January 2016 to Question 21125, the Department for Transport remains fully committed to our modernisation programme of over 850 miles of electrification. Over 50 miles have already been completed since 2010 compared to just 10 miles electrified in the 13 years of Labour Government from 1997.Some schemes are more immature in their development and, whilst schemes in this category will have significant delivery within Control Period 5, these schemes will span more than one control period.It will be for Network Rail to determine the exact mileage to be electrified in Control Period 5 once the development of all the projects and programmes to be delivered by 2019 has reached a sufficient level of maturity.

Railways: Sussex

Peter Kyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what estimate his Department has made of the economic effect of delays to rail services into London Victoria from the Sussex coast in the last 12 months.

Claire Perry: No estimate has been made, though officials are considering how to do so.Customers on this part of the rail network haven’t always received the service they deserve. When we awarded the franchise through our robust competitive process we bought a plan to deliver a high quality service for passengers which will deliver more services, more capacity and three new fleets of trains on the Govia Thameslink Railway. None of this comes without short term challenges as a result of this significant four year programme of transformation. We believe that this plan alongside the Government’s investment in the Thameslink programme will deliver the improvements passengers deserve.I am concerned about ensuring passengers receive the best possible service during the present crucial works on this part of the rail network. Shortly after the election I set up the South East Quadrant Taskforce, which I continue to chair. This group, which includes Network Rail and Govia Thameslink Railway, is absolutely committed to making improvements and, crucially, to making sure that rail customers see the benefits of these improvements.

Railways: Sussex

Peter Kyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what estimate his Department has made of the total amount of time passengers were delayed on rail services from the Sussex coast into London Victoria in 2015.

Claire Perry: This data has never been collected, but consideration is being given to how to do so across the network.

Biofuels

Richard Burden: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many applicants there were to the Advanced Biofuel Demonstration Competition; how many such applicants were successful; and what funding under what structure each successful applicant received.

Andrew Jones: There were 17 expressions of interest applications in phase 1 of the Advanced Biofuels Demonstration Competition, of which six projects were shortlisted and invited to submit a phase 2 application.Three winning projects were offered the following grants alongside significant private sector investment. Grant instalments will be paid subject to various conditions and the achievement of specified milestones:Advanced Plasma Power Ltd (Go Green Fuels) [Swindon]: £11 million to upscale the production of advanced biofuels from household wasteCeltic Renewables Ltd [Edinburgh]: £11 million to expand the production of advanced biofuels from scotch whisky residuesNova Pangaea Technologies Ltd [Teeside]: £3 million to develop the process of producing advanced biofuels from forestry biomass (plant matter).

Taxis: Greater London

Mr Charles Walker: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether he has received representations from the Mayor of London on his concerns about the number of private hire vehicles being licensed each month in London.

Andrew Jones: We receive representations on a number of issues from the Mayor of London, and this has included the impact of the increasing number of private hire vehicles in London on congestion, air quality and parking issues on London’s road network.

Taxis: Greater London

Mr Charles Walker: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will bring forward legislative proposals to provide the Mayor of London with the powers to place a cap on private hire vehicles in London.

Andrew Jones: This Government does not intend to amend primary legislation to allow the number of private hire vehicles licensed in London or elsewhere to be restricted.

High Speed 2 Railway Line

Mrs Cheryl Gillan: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether a further review of the tunnel boring machine advance rates for the High Speed 2 Chiltern tunnel has yet taken place.

Mr Robert Goodwill: HS2 Ltd have carried out an extensive reviews of tunnel boring rates for comparable forms of tunnel (looking at the size of tunnel and type of tunnel boring machine used) as part of the work for the hybrid Bill development, including tunnels both in this country and overseas. Particular attention has been made to ascertaining the ‘hard average rate’ achieved on these tunnels, which is much more appropriate in calculating the overall time to complete a particular tunnel drive for its entire length from "machine in to machine out". HS2 Ltd have provided evidence from these applicable tunnel projects in front of the Select Committee and explained on several occasions how the tunnel drive rates from these other projects support the current assumed drive rate for the HS2 Chiltern Tunnel. No further review is considered to be required as there is no further appropriate evidence available.

Tadcaster Bridge: Repairs and Maintenance

Richard Burden: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 11 January 2016 to Question 21012, what repairs there have been to Tadcaster Bridge to date; and whether finance for any repairs will be found from (a) the Road Investment Strategy and (b) a contingency fund.

Andrew Jones: North Yorkshire County Council are continuing their assessment of the damage to Tadcaster Bridge as the water levels reduce, and they are also removing debris. We have not asked the Council for an estimate of repairs to date at Tadcaster Bridge as they work on a County wide assessment of damage to road and bridge infrastructure.The Government recently announced funding of £3.3m to repair Tadcaster Bridge and for a temporary footbridge to reconnect the community, none of which has come from the Road Investment Strategy as that is funding for the Strategic Road Network managed by Highways England.

Railways: South Lanarkshire

Lilian Greenwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether the full costs of repairing the Lamington Viaduct will be met by Network Rail's insurance cover.

Claire Perry: Network Rail advises that it has not yet finalised the estimated full repair costs and the associated Schedule 4 network possessions compensation payments. The company’s estimates remain subject to potential variation to the method of repair and to compensation claims from the train operators.

Railways: North of England

Lilian Greenwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps the new Northern franchisee will take to establish a North East Business Unit for rail services.

Andrew Jones: In accordance with the requirements of the draft Northern Franchise Agreement published on 27th February 2015, the new Northern franchisee will establish a North East Business Unit for rail services by the end of June 2016.

Department for Transport: Staff

Liz Kendall: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many people of each gender work in his Department.

Mr Robert Goodwill: The table below provides headcount figures for permanent staff in the Department for Transport including its Executive Agencies at 31 December 2015:DfT OrganisationMenWomenTotalDfT Centre1,2487742,022DVLA2,4163,7226,138DVSA3,1721,3004,472MCA6813471,028VCA11243155TOTAL7,6296,18613,815Note that in 2009/10 58.7% of the total DfT staff were male compared to 55.2% as at 31 December 2015.

Roads: Repairs and Maintenance

Lilian Greenwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 11 January 2016 to Question 21128, whether his Department plans to make additional funding available to help repair local highway infrastructure damaged by the winter floods of 2015-16.

Andrew Jones: The Department for Transport is providing £40 million of emergency government funding to support communities in Cumbria and Lancashire, by helping fund repairs to key local transport infrastructure. This builds on the government’s provision of up to £2 million in the initial aftermath of the severe wet weather to enable Cumbria and Lancashire authorities to carry out an initial assessment of what repairs were required to roads and bridges.£3.3 million of funding has also been announced for the restoration of the Tadcaster Bridge and the construction of a temporary footbridge while work is ongoing, to support this community in North Yorkshire. Further, we have recently announced up to £5.5 million of funding to help with the rebuilding of Elland Bridge in Calderdale.

London Airports

Ruth Cadbury: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what comparative assessment he has made of the relative economic case for expansion of Gatwick and Heathrow Airports.

Mr Robert Goodwill: The Government is currently considering the large amount of very detailed analysis contained in the Airports Commission’s final report before taking any decisions on next steps.The Government will carefully consider all the evidence set out, including the economic cases, when making a decision on additional runway capacity.

Aviation: Noise

Ruth Cadbury: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment he has made of the implications for his policies of the recent Aviation Environment Federation report, Aircraft Noise and Public Health: The Evidence is Loud and Clear, published in January 2016.

Mr Robert Goodwill: The Government acknowledges that there has been new evidence in recent years that exposure to aircraft noise can adversely affect people’s health. It closely monitors research in this field and relevant robust evidence is incorporated into the policy appraisal process.

West Coast Railway Line

Lilian Greenwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps Network Rail is taking to ensure co-ordination between its regional units for the purpose of redirecting traffic affected by the closure of the West Coast Main Line north of Carlisle.

Claire Perry: Co-ordination arrangements for managing passenger and freight traffic whilst the West Coast Main Line route through Lamington is closed are operational matters for Network Rail.

West Coast Railway Line

Lilian Greenwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what the gauge clearance is of routes used to divert freight services disrupted by the temporary closure of the West Coast Main Line north of Carlisle.

Claire Perry: This is an operational matter for Network Rail. Network Rail advises that the current published freight clearances by diversionary route are as follows:i. The freight clearance for the diversion via the East Coast Main Line is W9.ii. The published freight clearance for the diversions via Glasgow & South Western Route and the route between Kilmarnock and Barassieare both W8.iii. The published freight clearance for the diversion via Mauchline to Newton on Ayr is W7However, in response to the situation at Lamington, Network Rail has confirmed clearance to move certain types of larger deep-sea containers on both the Glasgow & South Western Route and the Newton on Ayr route.

Bus Services: Tickets

Lilian Greenwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether his Department collects statistics for the purposes of monitoring on the types of tickets purchased by bus passengers.

Andrew Jones: The National Travel Survey collects annual statistics from a sample of individuals in England on trips by various modes, including data on ticket types used for bus journeys.

Aviation: Noise

Ruth Cadbury: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what representations he has received on the conclusions of the Aviation Environment Federation report, Aircraft Noise and Public Health, published on 12 January 2016, The Evidence is Loud and Clear.

Mr Robert Goodwill: I have had no representations on the conclusion of the report. I meet with airport noise community groups from time to time to hear about the issue of aircraft noise and its impact on residents.

Department for Transport: Procurement

Robert Flello: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference to paragraph 2.1 of the briefing by the National Audit Office entitled Delivering major projects in government, published on 6 January 2016, what assessment his Department has made of the effectiveness of its monitoring the benefits of (a) ongoing and (b) complete infrastructure projects.

Robert Flello: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference to the briefing by the National Audits Office entitled Delivering major projects in government, published on 6 January 2016, what plans his Department has to increase the amount of data it publishes on major projects.

Robert Flello: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference to the National Audit Office report, Delivering major projects in Government, published on 6 January 2016, what steps his Department is taking to ensure all infrastructure projects are delivered on time and on budget.

Robert Flello: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference to the National Audit Office report, Delivering major projects in Government, published on 6 January 2016, what steps his Department is taking to increase transparency of costs, times and benefits of infrastructure projects.

Mr Robert Goodwill: The Department for Transport (DfT) accounts for a whole life value of £92bn within the Government Major Projects Portfolio (GMPP).The DfT follows the Cabinet Office transparency policy by publishing the Department’s data in line with requirements, including the annual publication of GMPP data, SRO appointment letters and individual project cases.The Department continually assures project delivery in relation to costs, timings and benefits through clear governance and project and programme management (PPM) requirements, which must be satisfied throughout the life cycle of a project. This includes investment board endorsement at key project planning and delivery stages, and independent assurance within the Department. Further external assurance is provided for example by the Infrastructure and Project Authority (IPA). The department uses a widely understood and highly regarded economic tool, known as WebTAG, for calculating costs.In addition to individual project assurance, the Department works with the IPA on both GMPP and its own portfolio reporting requirements. The Department has been actively involved in work to improve the collection, collation and analysis of key areas of project delivery, including costs and benefits, in line with the recent IPA review and refresh of GMPP data collection.As part of the Department’s internal governance, regular portfolio reporting on the aggregated performance and health of major projects is presented to the Department’s investment board. The Department has recently assessed the maturity of its portfolio reporting and has an action plan to further develop its capability in key areas.The Department reports infrastructure projects that are £50m or more on the National Infrastructure Pipeline (NIP) which details public and private infrastructure investment which is either forecast, being delivered, or completed. It is published on the Treasury’s website (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/national-infrastructure-pipeline-july-2015).

M20: Large Goods Vehicles

Damian Collins: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will publish advice received by his Department from Highways England on the sites considered for providing off-road lorry parking to address Operation Stack on the M20 in Kent; and what the reasons were for rejecting sites not included in the current consultation.

Andrew Jones: Taking account of past studies and the work of the European Gateway Group, Highways England and local partners drew up a number of criteria for a proposed lorry park. Based on these criteria, a range of sites were considered, and two viable sites were identified.The current public consultation describes these two potential sites and invites suggestions as to other sites that may be suitable. Following the consultation, Highways England will assess all sites suggested and report on their suitability for an off road lorry area.

Railways: South East

Peter Kyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 29 October 2015 to Question 13946, whether his Department has received the findings of the London and South Coast Rail Corridor Study; and what the timeframe is for publication of that study's findings and his Department's response to it.

Claire Perry: The Government has received initial study findings, which are being more fully developed at present. The Study is expected to be completed early in 2016, and the Government will subsequently consider the timeframe for releasing the study findings, including our response.

Motor Vehicles: Excise Duties

Jessica Morden: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 7 January 2016 to Question 20831, when the DVLA plans to roll out the piloted scheme against non-payment of vehicle excise duty.

Andrew Jones: The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) is continuing to work with police forces to address the issue of overstaying foreign registered vehicles.The pilot that ran between November 2014 and February 2015 is now being taken forward as business as usual. A further seven police forces have requested the DVLA’s devolved powers to enable them to take action against non-compliant vehicles. On average around 100 foreign registered vehicles are impounded each month.

Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency: Northern Ireland

Mr Gregory Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 5 January 2016 to Question 20337, what steps he plans to take to improve the service offered by the DVLA to people resident in Northern Ireland.

Andrew Jones: Northern Ireland motorists will benefit from the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA)’s commitment to the continuous improvement of its services along with those in the rest of the UK. These improvements will include an increase in the range of digital services offered.

Aviation: Defibrillators

Nigel Huddleston: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what progress has been made on the introduction of mandatory defibrillators on aircraft.

Mr Robert Goodwill: The European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) is responsible for the regulations relating to equipment to be carried on aircraft operating in Europe and competent national authorities, the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) being such a body in the UK, are responsible for oversight of the compliance. The EASA regulations do not require aircraft to carry defibrillators.Cases of sudden cardiac arrest are very rare when compared to the number of passengers carried. There is no evidence that airline passengers are at increased risk of sudden cardiac arrest, and it would not be proportionate to make carrying defibrillators in an aircraft compulsory.

Transport: Floods

Robert Flello: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent assessment his Department has made of the vulnerability to flooding of (a) rail and (b) road networks; and what steps his Department is taking to protect such infrastructure from the risk of floods.

Mr Robert Goodwill: My Department is constantly working to maintain and improve the resilience of transport to a full range of hazards.Network Rail are well aware of the risks from flooding and other severe weather events, and measures to improve the resilience of the network, including addressing specific concerns and recommendations arising from previous flooding events, are integral to their current 5 year programme of investment, maintenance and renewals.Local highway authorities have a duty to maintain their network and prepare for severe weather with regards to local roads. The Government has allocated a record £6.1 billion to fund local highways maintenance between now and 2021, continuing the increase in funding that started during the last Parliament.Highways England are responsible for operating, maintaining and improving the strategic road network, and will invest £78 million over the next 5 years on a range of measures to improve flood resilience and water quality on the network.

Seas and Oceans: Surveillance

Richard Burden: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what his Department's (a) budget and (b) spend for maritime surveillance was in each of the last five years; and what the (i) names and (ii) lengths of contract are of companies engaged in UK maritime security.

Mr Robert Goodwill: Her Majesty’s Coastguard monitors shipping off the United Kingdom coast for the purposes of ship safety and pollution prevention. That monitoring uses ships’ Automatic Identification Systems (AIS) where those are fitted under international requirements. Ships are monitored by RADAR in the Dover Strait and the Sunk area in the approaches to the Thames Estuary. Pollution is monitored through the European Union’s SafeSeaNet satellite arrangements. There are no specific contracts in place with companies or organisations for the commercial provision of maritime surveillance information.The Department for Transport (DfT) has a comprehensive set of maritime security measures in place which port facilities in the UK and ships on the UK Ship Register are required to implement for countering the threat from terrorism. Responsibility for delivering these measures rests with the port and ship owners. As such DfT does not have any contracts with UK maritime security companies for the provision of security services at ports or on board ships.

Foreign and Commonwealth Office

Nepal: Borders

Matthew Pennycook: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what representations his Department has made to the Indian government on re-opening border crossings to Nepal since discussions were held between the British and Indian ambassadors to Nepal on border blockages on 30 October.

Mr Hugo Swire: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 9 November 2015 to question 15614 which can be located at: www.parliament.uk/writtenanswers. In addition to this answer, I discussed the blockage at the border with the Indian Foreign Secretary during the visit of Prime Minister Modi to the United Kingdom.

Donald Trump

Greg Mulholland: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, whether he has made representations to the US (a) government and (b) Congress on comments made by Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump on banning Muslims from entering the US.

Mr Hugo Swire: We have not made any formal representations to the US Government or Congress. However, the Prime Minister, my right hon Friend the Member for Witney (Mr Cameron), has made clear that he completely disagrees with Mr Trump’s comments, which the Prime Minister described as “divisive, unhelpful and wrong”.

Middle East: Security

Paul Flynn: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, whether he plans to support initiative to the create an independent regional centre for security dialogue in the Middle East.

Mr Tobias Ellwood: A stable and secure Middle East is a key UK priority. We are working with the international community to support those tackling short term conflict and promoting longer-term reform in the region. We believe that regional security initiatives can have an important role to play too.We are not aware of any specific, new initiatives to create an independent regional centre for security dialogue in the Middle East, at the current time.

Armed Forces: Private Education

Douglas Chapman: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, how much his Department spent on Continuity of Education Allowance in independent schools in financial year (a) 2012-13, (b) 2013-14 and (c) 2014-15; how many children were in receipt of that allowance in each of those years; and which five schools had the highest spend on that allowance in each of those years.

Mr Tobias Ellwood: It is a condition of their employment that members of the diplomatic service must be prepared to serve anywhere in the world at any time during their career, sometimes at very short notice. Those with children have a legal obligation as parents to ensure that their children receive a full-time education from the age of five years. Most parents prefer to take their children with them abroad, but in some of the 168 countries and territories where the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) has UK based staff, we do not permit staff to take their children either for health or security reasons. In others, local schools of an acceptable standard are not available. It is longstanding practice that the FCO helps staff meet their potentially conflicting obligations by providing financial support for their children's education in the UK where staff choose this, or are obliged to do so given local conditions in the country to which they are posted.Continuity of education is also an important factor, particularly at secondary level.The FCO refunds standard term fees up to a ceiling which is reviewed annually. Where staff opt to send their children to more expensive schools, staff meet the difference in cost. The maximum amount the FCO will pay is determined by an independent survey conducted by ECA International, which is used by public and private sector employers whose staff work across the world. Various factors, including availability of places (sometimes at short notice) and proximity of other family members, influence which schools staff choose for their children.FY UK School costs (CEA) Number of Children 2012/13 £14,926,061 7002013/14 £13,704,118 (£13,162,823)*625 (604)*2014/15 £12,943,134 (£12,391,079)*593 (570)**Cost to the FCO after reclaiming costs from other Government departments for their staff deployed overseasWe are unable to provide the 5 schools that had the highest spend in each of those years as to do so would entail checking individual files, which would incur a disproportionate cost.

Saudi Arabia: Capital Punishment

Dr Matthew Offord: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, with reference to page 3 of the HMG Strategy for Abolition of the Death Penalty 2010-2015, as revised in October 2011, what bilateral agreements his Department promotes between the Government and the government of Saudi Arabia on reducing the number of executions carried out as part of that government's judicial process.

Mr Tobias Ellwood: The British Government remains firmly opposed to the use of the death penalty in all circumstances and in every country, including Saudi Arabia. The death penalty undermines human dignity and there is no evidence that it works as a deterrent. We continue to remind the Saudi authorities of our views on the death penalty at every suitable opportunity.

Capital Punishment

Dr Matthew Offord: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, with reference to Appendix Four of the HMG Strategy for Abolition of the Death Penalty 2010-15, as revised in October 2011, how his Department ensures that the EU minimum standards referred to are met in countries which maintain use of the death penalty as part of their judicial process.

Mr David Lidington: We urge all states to introduce a moratorium on use of the death penalty. We urge those which continue to impose the death penalty to respect EU and UN standards; to reserve the death penalty for the most serious crimes, that is, for nothing less serious than murder; to ensure that proper process is followed including opportunities for appeal and clemency and not to execute those who committed crimes when under 18, pregnant women or people with learning difficulties. The Government makes representations when these standards are not respected and urges reform. We fund projects which aim to increase compliance with these standards and actively support the abolitionist work of the UN and the EU, including through adoption of moratoria.

Capital Punishment

Dr Matthew Offord: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, with reference to the Executive Summary of the HMG Strategy for Abolition of the Death Penalty 2010-2015, as revised in October 2011, what steps his Department is taking to help impose further restrictions on countries which continue to practise the death penalty as part of their judicial process; and what progress on the imposition of such restrictions has been made to date.

Mr David Lidington: The British Government published in 2014 “Guidance on Overseas Security and Justice Assistance” which controls and restricts the supply of justice sector assistance to countries which retain the death penalty. The Government has also successfully urged the European Commission to introduce regulations banning the export of any equipment or chemicals intended to carry out executions.

Capital Punishment

Dr Matthew Offord: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, with reference to page three of the HMG Strategy for Abolition of the Death Penalty 2010-2015, as revised in October 2011, what legal challenges to the mandatory death penalty his Department has been involved in involving (a) UK citizens and (b) non-UK citizens in each of the last five years.

Mr David Lidington: Using a range of funding tools, principally the Human Rights and Democracy Programme Fund, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) has, since 2010, funded a number of non-governmental organisations to mount legal challenges to the use of the death penalty abroad both in specific cases and on matters of general principle. We do not fund the private legal costs of British nationals facing the death penalty, but we can refer cases to the FCO’s pro bono legal panel, where appropriate, to provide advice to the British national in question and their local lawyer on an entirely pro bono basis.

British Overseas Territories: Companies

Catherine West: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what plans he has to help persuade Overseas Territories leaders to make registers of beneficial ownership publicly available.

James Duddridge: The Government is in discussion with the governments of the Overseas Territories on their plans to improve company transparency. The Territories have agreed to hold beneficial ownership information in central registers, or similarly effective systems, which need to meet the three criteria the UK set out in a letter to Territory leaders in March 2015. These are laid out in the answer my hon. Friend, the Member for South West Hertfordshire (David Gauke MP), gave on 16 October 2015 (PQ10437, PQ10438 and PQ10448).

Saudi Arabia: Visits Abroad

Andy Slaughter: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what trips to Saudi Arabia government ministers plan to make in 2016.

Mr Tobias Ellwood: I have been clear that a strong relationship with Saudi Arabia matters. As such, Ministers will continue to engage with Saudi Arabia, and the wider region, throughout the year.

Burundi: Peacekeeping Operations

Rebecca Long Bailey: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what contingency plans he has to respond in the event that the Burundian government does not peacefully accept the presence of 5,000 peacekeepers proposed by the African Union in December 2015.

James Duddridge: The UK's immediate priority is to continue to put pressure on the Burundian government to halt the violence and engage in dialogue without preconditions. I wrote to the Burundian Foreign Minister on 5 January pressing the Government to do this. In the event of a serious deterioration on the ground and the Burundian government not accepting the African Union peacekeepers then we would support the African Union in planning for an intervention without approval. We also continue to work with the UN to ensure that the UN Department of Peacekeeping prepares a contingency plan. I intend to raise these issues with the Burundian Foreign Minister during the African Union Summit at the end of this month.

Burundi: Peacekeeping Operations

Rebecca Long Bailey: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that the 5,000 peacekeepers proposed by the African Union to protect civilians within Burundi will be safely accepted by the Burundian government.

James Duddridge: The UK supports the African Union's efforts to address the current security situation in Burundi, including the proposed peacekeeping mission. We are working with African and other international partners to encourage Burundi to accept the mission and to cooperate fully with the peacekeepers. I have regularly engaged the Burundian Government and key bilateral and multilateral partners on the deteriorating situation in Burundi, including a visit to Uganda, Rwanda and Burundi on 15-17 December 2015. I intend to raise these issues with the Burundian Foreign Minister at the African Union Summit at the end of this month.

Democracy

Greg Mulholland: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 7 January 2016 to Question 20871, who the (a) applicants and (b) successful bidders were for the £5.5 million Human Rights and Democracy Programme; and how much funding each such successful bidder was allocated.

Mr David Lidington: For the Financial Year 2015-16, the Human Rights and Democracy Programme (HRDP) received 27 bids for democracy projects from the following applicants:Ba FuturuBritish Council LibyaCarter CentreDanChurchAidDemocracy Reporting InternationalGlobal Partners GovernanceGuatemalan Archbishopric´s Human Rights OfficeInternational Media SupportInternational Republican InstituteInvestigative Journalists NGO (HETQ)Jamii Media Company LimitedJohn Smith TrustLaw Association of ZambiaMoroccan Forum for Truth and JusticeNational School of Government International (NSGI)Northern Ireland-Cooperation Oversees (NI-CO) in partnership with Politics PlusSafer World Bangladesh and Bangladesh Enterprise Institute (BEI)SaferworldStakeholder Democracy NetworkThe Asia FoundationUN Development ProgrammeWestminster Foundation for DemocracyYoung African Leaders InitiativeYouth Association for Human Rights Promotion and Development (AJPRODHO)Zimbabwe Human Rights NGO Forum,Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human RightsThese bids were then considered on a case-by-case basis by the Programme Team, and evaluated against criteria including: value for money, project design, evidence of need, viability, sustainability, risk and local influence. Seven applicants were successful, and were allocated the amounts listed below:DanChurchAid: £80,000Global Partners Governance: £99,727NI-CO in partnership with Politics Plus: £35,000NSGI: £37,220Safer World Bangladesh and BEI: £103,422The Asia Foundation: £99,168Young African Leaders Initiative: £51,397The £100,000 Magna Carta Partnerships Fund, to assist democracies in crisis or transition, is also channelled through the HRDP. In the financial year 2015/16, we have so far agreed funding for the following implementers:Bingham Centre: £9,993British Embassy Mexico City: £8,000Chatham House: £10,000Citizen’s Watch International: £10,000Commonwealth Parliamentary Association UK Branch: £20,000King Prajadhipok Institute: £2,752Northern Ireland Cooperation Overseas: £2,000Slynn Foundation: £9,020Westminster Foundation for Democracy: £5,150

British Overseas Territories: Companies

Catherine West: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 8 July 2015 to Question 5430, for what reasons those Overseas Territories with financial centres did not set out timetables for implementing central registries or similarly effective systems by November 2015.

James Duddridge: The Government is in discussion with the governments of the Overseas Territories on their plans to improve company transparency. The Territories have agreed to hold beneficial ownership information in central registers, or similarly effective systems, which need to meet the three criteria the UK set out in a letter to Territory leaders in March 2015. These are laid out in the answer my hon. Friend, the Member for South West Hertfordshire (David Gauke MP), gave on 16 October 2015 (PQ10437, PQ10438 and PQ10448).

British Overseas Territories: Companies

Catherine West: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, when he plans to publish a timetable for those UK's Overseas Territories with financial centres producing credible plans to adopt public registers of beneficial ownership.

James Duddridge: The Government is in discussion with the governments of the Overseas Territories on their plans to improve company transparency. The Territories have agreed to hold beneficial ownership information in central registers, or similarly effective systems, which need to meet the three criteria the UK set out in a letter to Territory leaders in March 2015. These are laid out in the answer my hon. Friend, the Member for South West Hertfordshire (David Gauke MP), gave on 16 October 2015 (PQ10437, PQ10438 and PQ10448).

Israel: Housing

Andy Slaughter: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will make an assessment of the humanitarian effect of the Israeli government's policy on demolition orders.

Mr Tobias Ellwood: We believe these demolitions cause unnecessary suffering to ordinary Palestinians; are harmful to the peace process; and are, in all but the most exceptional of cases, contrary to international humanitarian law. The Fourth Geneva Convention is clear that the destruction of any real or personal property in Occupied Territory is not justified unless it is rendered absolutely necessary by military operations. This is why Foreign and Commonwealth Office Ministers and officials regularly raise the matter with the Israeli Government, emphasising our concerns.

West Bank: Housing

Andy Slaughter: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what representations his Department has made to the Israeli government on demolitions in the Bedouin community of Abu Nuwar in the West Bank on 6 January 2016.

Mr Tobias Ellwood: While we have not raised this specific issue with the Government of Israel, we continue to raise our concerns with the Israeli authorities over demolitions and the treatment of the Bedouin community. The UK is deeply concerned by Israeli proposals to relocate Bedouin population from E1 area, which the UN have said could constitute forcible transfer. These plans could have a devastating impact on the communities concerned and will likely open the way for further settlement expansion – endangering the viability of a two-state solution.

Ilois

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, when any Ministers in his Department last met Chagossian representatives; and when they next plan to do so.

James Duddridge: Ministers last met the Chagos Islands (British Indian Ocean Territory) All-Party Parliamentary Group in February 2015. Officials have held meetings with around 500 Chagossians in the last 12 months in London, Crawley, Manchester, Seychelles and Mauritius. The Government has recently undertaken a twelve week public consultation about a potential resettlement of the British Indian Ocean Territory, and I am now considering the results, with a view to the Government determining a way ahead on this important issue very soon. It would be inappropriate to meet Chagossians until the results of this consultation have been considered.

Syria: Peace Negotiations

Kirsten  Oswald: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will make representations to participants in the Syrian peace process to encourage them to consider a statement urging an end to the use of long-term siege of civilian populations in Madaya and other such settlements.

Mr Tobias Ellwood: The UK has consistently condemned any illegal use of siege tactics and called on all parties to the conflict in Syria to allow the safe, unhindered delivery of humanitarian aid and to respect all relevant provisions of International Humanitarian Law (IHL), as set out in numerous UN Security Council Resolutions.The UK played a key role in the passage of UNSCR 2254 of 18 December 2015, which specifically calls on the parties to allow rapid, safe and unhindered access for humanitarian aid to besieged and hard to reach places.It is deplorable that the regime, which is responsible for most of the sieges, has only approved 10% of UN requests over the past year to deliver aid to besieged and hard to reach areas. The regime’s allies, including Russia, must do much more to ensure the regime complies with its obligations. We continue to make this clear in our diplomatic engagements on Syria.

EU Countries: Travel Information

David T. C. Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will update his Department's travel advice guidance on the safety of women travellers to (a) Germany and (b) Austria to take account of recent events in those countries.

Mr David Lidington: The FCO’s travel advice is kept under constant review, and is based on objective assessments of the risk to British nationals.Our current advice for Germany can be found here:https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/germanyOur current advice for Austria can be found here:https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/austriaWhile we condemn the criminal behaviour seen in Cologne and on a smaller scale in Hamburg, Salzburg and elsewhere on New Year’s Eve, we do not assess that this is now the standard of behaviour to expect at all public gatherings in Germany or Austria. In addition, the authorities are taking action to ensure that such attacks are not repeated.We advise all travellers and British nationals resident in Germany and Austria to monitor our travel advice regularly.

Iraq: Kurds

Ann Clwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what reports he has received on the extension of the term of office of the President of the Kurdistan Regional Government in Iraq, following the legal expiration of his term of office.

Mr Tobias Ellwood: Negotiations between the Kurdish parties over the extension of Kurdistan Regional Government President Masoud Barzani’s term in office are ongoing. We are following the situation closely and encouraging all the parties to work together to resolve this issue peacefully, in the spirit of compromise and respecting democratic principles.

Syria: Armed Conflict

Alan Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant the Answer of 4 December 2015 to Question 18424, whether the Syrian-led negotiations under UN auspices have begun; what the status is of these talks; and which parties are involved in such talks.

Mr Tobias Ellwood: UN Security Council Resolution 2254 of 18 December has set out a timeline for the commencement of Syrian-led negotiations, for January 2016, under UN auspices, building on an agreement reached in the International Syria Support Group. The date for the commencement of negotiations will be proposed by the UN Secretary General’s Special Envoy for Syria, Staffan de Mistura. Representatives of all Syrian parties will be invited, with the exclusion of UN designated terrorist groups including Daesh and Al Qaeda affiliated groups.

UN Secretariat: Public Appointments

Mr Nigel Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what discussions he has had with the UN to ensure the promotion of gender parity, equality and diversity in the selection process for the next Secretary General.

James Duddridge: Last year the UK launched an initiative to reform the selection process for the next UN Secretary General. We proposed measures that would deliver greater transparency, fairness and structure to the process. All other attributes being equal, it is high time for a woman to lead the United Nations - a job that represents the interests of all the world’s people cannot exclude half of its population. We were therefore pleased the General Assembly adopted a resolution (69/321) that broadly reflects our key proposals: clarity over timelines, greater transparency and an invitation to Member States to put forward women candidates. We also welcome the joint letter of 15 December 2015 (http://www.un.org/pga/70/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2015/08/15-Dec-2015_Appointment-of-Secretary-General-15-December-2015.pdf) from the Presidents of the General Assembly and the Security Council that sets out principles to guide the selection process.

UN Secretariat: Public Appointments

Mr Nigel Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what discussions he has had with the UN to ensure a more open and transparent selection process of the next Secretary-General.

James Duddridge: Last year the UK launched an initiative to reform the selection process for the next UN Secretary General. We proposed measures that would deliver greater transparency, fairness and structure to the process. All other attributes being equal, it is high time for a woman to lead the United Nations - a job that represents the interests of all the world’s people cannot exclude half of its population. We were therefore pleased the General Assembly adopted a resolution (69/321) that broadly reflects our key proposals: clarity over timelines, greater transparency and an invitation to Member States to put forward women candidates. We also welcome the joint letter of 15 December 2015 (http://www.un.org/pga/70/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2015/08/15-Dec-2015_Appointment-of-Secretary-General-15-December-2015.pdf) from the Presidents of the General Assembly and the Security Council that sets out principles to guide the selection process.

Saudi Arabia: Capital Punishment

Steve McCabe: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, for what reasons his Department has decided not to include Saudi Arabia in its Strategy for the Abolition of the Death Penalty.

Mr David Lidington: The criteria used in 2010 to draw up the list of priority countries within the “HMG Strategy for the Abolition of the Death Penalty 2010-2015” are set out in that document. The previous Government decided that limited resources should focus on countries ready to engage in a dialogue about capital punishment likely to lead to reform. Many of the countries prioritised in 2010 have implemented reforms in the intervening five years. Saundi Arabia is included in the 2015 Annual Human Rights Report as a country of concern, primarily because of its use of the death penalty. We do not intend to publish a new strategy specific to the death penalty; but we will be publishing a strategy for the FCO’s Human Rights and Democracy Programme Fund on 18 January, which will show how work to abolish the death penalty is important under all three of the strategy’s new themes. The FCO’s death penalty-related work will also be covered in future instalments of the FCO’s Annual Human Rights Report.

Iraq: Kurds

Ann Clwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent assessment he has made of the political, economic and security situation in the Kurdistan region of Iraq.

Mr Tobias Ellwood: I visited Erbil in December where I met a range of Kurdistan Regional Government ministers and officials, including Deputy Prime Minister Qubad Talabani, civil society contacts and members of the British military deployment in northern Iraq. I welcomed the recent military progress achieved by the Kurdish Security Forces against Daesh, particularly the liberation of Sinjar in November, and was able to see firsthand the contribution of British military training, equipment and support to counter-Daesh efforts. I encouraged progress on implementation of the economic reforms needed to manage the current economic downturn, as well as a rapid return to negotiations with Baghdad to secure a sustainable revenue sharing arrangement. To members of the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) and political party representatives, I underlined the importance of all the parties working together to resolve the issue of the KRG presidency peacefully, in the spirit of compromise and respecting democratic principles.

Iraq: Kurds

Ann Clwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what reports he has received on the reasons for the prolonged recess of the parliament of the Kurdistan region of Iraq.

Mr Tobias Ellwood: The Iraqi Kurdistan Parliament has been in recess since 12 October 2015, following an escalation in tensions between Kurdish parties over the extension of the term of Kurdistan Regional Government President Masoud Barzani. The situation has now de-escalated slightly and negotiations over the extension are ongoing. We are following the situation closely and encouraging all the parties to work together to resolve this issue peacefully, in the spirit of compromise and respecting democratic principles.

Saudi Arabia: Military Aid

Hilary Benn: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, whether he has received any reports of any potential breaches of international humanitarian law from UK personnel working with the Saudi military.

Mr Philip Hammond: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Abdullah Hasan al-Zaher

Hilary Benn: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what representations he has made to the government of Saudi Arabia about the death sentence of Abdullah al-Zaher.

Mr Philip Hammond: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Syria

Hilary Benn: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, when he plans to publish the next quarterly progress report to the House on Syria.

Mr Philip Hammond: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

South China Sea

Mr George Howarth: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will make representations to the government of China on its recent decision to land civilian planes on Fiery Cross reef in the disputed South China Sea.

Mr Hugo Swire: The Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right hon. Friend the Member for Runnymede and Weybridge (Mr Hammond) expressed our concerns about the situation in the South China Sea during his visit to Beijing on 5 January. He stressed the need to avoid raising tensions and underlined the importance of maintaining freedom of navigation and overflight.

South China Sea

Mr George Howarth: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assessment he has made of the effect of the decision of China to land civilian planes on Fiery Cross reef in the disputed South China Sea on regional relationships.

Mr Hugo Swire: The landings of Chinese civilian aircraft on Fiery Cross Reef have prompted diplomatic protests in the region and widespread expressions of concern about heightened tensions. The UK opposes any actions likely to increase tensions in the South China Sea and threaten regional stability. We continue to call on all parties to exercise restraint.

Russia: Foreign Relations

Douglas Chapman: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, when he and the Secretary of State for Defence met in a 2 plus 2 bilateral meeting with their Russian counterparts.

Mr David Lidington: The then Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my noble friend the Lord Hague of Richmond and the then Secretary of State for Defence, my right hon. Friend the member for Runnymede and Weybridge (Mr Hammond) met their Russian counterparts at the UK-Russia Joint Foreign and Defence Ministerial Dialogue in London on 13 March 2013. The Government suspended the ‘2+2’ format and wider military cooperation with Russia following Russia’s illegal annexation of Crimea in March 2014.

Saudi Arabia

Andy Slaughter: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to the Ministerial Correction of 11 January 2016 on Saudi Arabia, what work has taken place under the memorandum of understanding since it came into force.

Mr Tobias Ellwood: It is the policy of this Government and previous Governments to treat such Memorandum of Understandings with other countries as confidential.

Bahrain: Population

Helen Goodman: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what statistical information his Department holds on the age, gender, ethnic group and religious identification of people in Bahrain.

Mr Tobias Ellwood: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office does not hold this information. We consult a number of published sources, including the Government of Bahrain and those from international organisations such as the United Nations and World Bank.

Islamic State: Finance

Hilary Benn: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what steps the Government is taking to disrupt and prevent the sale of antiquities by Daesh to finance their terrorist activities.

Mr Philip Hammond: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Islamic State: Kurds

Hilary Benn: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what support the Government is providing to the Kurdish Peshmerga in their efforts against Daesh.

Mr Philip Hammond: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Syria: Armed Conflict

Hilary Benn: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what planning for post-conflict stabilisation and reconstruction in Syria the Government has undertaken.

Mr Philip Hammond: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Syria: Armed Conflict

Hilary Benn: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent bilateral discussions he has had with members of the International Syria Support Group on achieving a ceasefire in Syria.

Mr Philip Hammond: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Islamic State: Finance

Hilary Benn: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent assessment he has made of what the primary sources of finance for Daesh are; and what steps the Government is taking to disrupt those sources.

Mr Philip Hammond: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

USA: Entry Clearances

Charlotte Leslie: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what representations he has made to the US administration on the effect on UK citizens seeking to enter the US of recent changes to the US visa waiver programme affecting people who have previously visited Iran, Iraq, Syria or Sudan or hold dual citizenship of those countries.

Mr Hugo Swire: US Congress passed legislation making changes to the US visa waiver programme on 18 December. We had been in close and regular contact with the US administration, as well as members of Congress, while the bill was under consideration but ultimately this was a decision for them. Since then, officials at our Embassy in Washington have been in contact with the US administration as they consider the bill’s implementation, to ensure British travellers understand the impact of the changes, and avoid disruption to their travel plans. As ever, we will keep our Travel Advice under review.

Unmanned Air Vehicles

Alison McGovern: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what plans he has to publish written guidlines for British drone strikes.

Mr Tobias Ellwood: Unmanned drones are no different from any other weapon system and subject to the same legal and other frameworks. We have no plans to publish any guidelines. I refer the hon. Member to the evidence provided by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Defence (Michael Fallon) on 16 December 2015 to the Joint Committee on Human Rights.

Department for International Development

Department for International Development: UK Membership of EU

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what contingency arrangements her Department has made for the eventuality of a majority leave vote in the upcoming EU referendum.

Mr Nick Hurd: I refer the Honourable Member to the answer provided by my Right Honourable Friend the Prime Minister on Thursday 14 January 2016 (UIN: 21952).

Developing Countries: Space Technology

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, further to the Answer of 26 October 2015 to Question 12448, what criteria are used by her Department to determine the amount of aid provided to emerging economies like China and India.

Mr Desmond Swayne: As referred to in my response to Question 12448, we use a range of criteria to determine allocations to countries, and to meet the objectives of the UK Aid Strategy. Regarding the two partner countries referred to in the question, DFID closed its bilateral aid programme to China in March 2011 and now works in partnership with China on global development issues. The UK ended its traditional aid programme to India at the end of 2015. The new partnership with India will include technical assistance (sharing skills and expertise), investments in private sector projects that help the poor and generate a financial return for the UK taxpayer, and working together on global development issues such as trade and nutrition.

Developing Countries: Poverty

Rushanara Ali: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, if she will take steps to ensure that official development assistance funding is prioritised for poverty reduction projects.

Mr Nick Hurd: The Government published a new UK Aid Strategy (UK aid: tackling global challenges in the national interest) in November. The Strategy brings together the Government’s poverty reduction objectives with a commitment to tackle some of today’s biggest global challenges such as mass migration and global climate change. The Government will shape its Official Development Assistance (ODA) spending according to four strategic objectives, all of which support poverty reduction and are aligned with the UK national interest. The Government’s commitment to spend 0.7% of Gross National Income on international development, and strong UK leadership on the Global Goals, signals the UK’s intent to eradicate poverty in our lifetime.

International Climate Fund

Rushanara Ali: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what proportion of the official development assistance budget was given to the International Climate Fund in (a) 2012, (b) 2013, (c) 2014 and (d) 2015.

Mr Nick Hurd: Details of the International Climate Fund (ICF) as a proportion of Official Development Assistance (ODA) are set out below for 2012-2014. Figures for 2015 have not yet been published.total net ODAtotal ICFpercentage20128,802488.155.5%201311,424769.016.7%201411,726880.117.5%NOTES:Total Net ODA figures are as reported in Statistics on International Development 2015Total ICF spend figures are as reported by the UK to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and the European Union’s Greenhouse Gas Monitoring Mechanism Regulation (EUMMR)

Syria: Humanitarian Aid

Kirsten  Oswald: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, if she will take steps to secure the agreement of all parties to permit access for food and other vital supplies to the residents of Madaya and other settlements in Syria in which a civilian population is being besieged by combatant forces.

Mr Desmond Swayne: The UK condemns the use of siege tactics against civilian populations, and continues to call upon all sides to the conflict to respect International Law and ensure free, unimpeded access for humanitarian agencies.In the past year, only 10% of all requests submitted by the UN to the regime to access besieged and hard-to-reach areas have been approved and delivered. That is why the UK played a critical role in co-sponsoring and lobbying for UN Security Council Resolutions 2165, 2191 and 2258 which enable the UN to deliver aid into Syria without the consent of the regime.The UK has been at the forefront of the response to the Syria crisis. We have pledged over £1.1 billion, making us the second largest bilateral donor after the US. Of this total, we have allocated £561 million to support vulnerable people inside Syria.The desperate situation in besieged and hard to reach areas shows why we need the international community to come together at the London Conference for Syria and the region on 4 February to support immediate needs and identify longer-term solutions to address the needs of those affected by the crisis, especially regarding jobs and education. We also hope the Conference will put pressure on the parties to the conflict by shining a spotlight on violations of International Law and impediments to humanitarian access in Syria.

Malnutrition

Thangam Debbonaire: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, pursuant to the Answer of 19 November 2015 to Question 16005, on malnutrition, how the Government plans to measure progress on its commitment to nutrition for 50 million people by 2020.

Mr Nick Hurd: The approach to measuring the commitment to improve the nutrition of 50 million people by 2020 is currently being finalised as part of the DFID aid review. Full details of the methodology for measuring these results will be published once this is completed.

Developing Countries: Females

Stephen Phillips: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what steps she is taking to ensure the economic empowerment of women in the developing world.

Justine Greening: The economic empowerment of women is a top priority for my Department. In September 2015 at the UN General Assembly and Post-2015 Summit, the UK and UNWomen hosted the event Transforming Economies: Empowering Women and Girls. The Call to Action launched at this event secured over 150 commitments to action from governments, development institutions, civil society and the private sector. These will all help deliver the Global Goal targets for women’s economic empowerment.We support a wide range of programmes to increase women’s opportunities for employment, ownership and control over economic assets and ability to start and run businesses. Since 2011, DFID have helped 2.5m women to improve their land and property rights and 35m women to access financial services.

Department for Education

Children in Care: Housing

Cat Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to reduce the number of former care leavers living in unsuitable accommodation.

Edward Timpson: Ensuring that young people leaving care are able to access suitable accommodation is a priority for this Government. In 2015, 92% of care leavers aged 19-21 were in suitable accommodation. We have introduced measures to help ensure care leavers have access to suitable accommodation but we are determined to do more.That is why, during the last Parliament, we introduced the ‘Staying Put’ duty, which requires local authorities to support young people to continue living with their former foster carers up to age 21.Statutory guidance sets out the factors that local authorities must take into account when determining the suitability of accommodation for their children and young people. The guidance was strengthened in 2015 to make clear that bed and breakfast accommodation should only be used in exceptional circumstances and for no longer than 2 working days. Since 2014, Ofsted inspections have assessed whether local authorities are ensuring that care leavers have access to suitable accommodation.Further measures to support care leavers to access suitable accommodation will be considered as part of the refreshed cross-Government care leaver strategy, to be launched later this year.

Department for Education: UK Membership of EU

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what contingency arrangements her Department has made for the eventuality of a majority leave vote in the upcoming EU referendum.

Nick Gibb: I refer the Hon Member to the answer given to question 21952 by my Rt Hon Friend the Prime Minister on 14 January.

Mathematics: Teachers

Mr Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what estimate her Department has made of the number of vacancies of mathematics teachers in funded secondary schools in each of the last five years; and if she will make a statement.

Nick Gibb: The information requested is published in table 15 in the statistical first release ‘School Workforce in England, November 2014’ and is available from the following web link:https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/school-workforce-in-england-november-2014

Parents: Mental Illness

Luciana Berger: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many children of parents with mental illnesses there are in (a) pre-primary, (b) primary and (c) secondary schools in the most recent period for which figures are available.

Mr Sam Gyimah: The Department does not collect information on the number of children at any stage of school whose parents are suffering from mental illness.

Department for Education: Freedom of Information

Nic Dakin: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many requests her Department has received under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 for documents relating to the opening of (a) academies and (b) free schools; and how many of those requests it responded to within the 20 working day time limit.

Nick Gibb: Quarterly and annual statistics on Freedom of Information requests received by a number of central government monitored bodies (including all departments of state), including timeliness of reply, are published by the Ministry of Justice at:https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/government-foi-statisticsThe Department received 1,039 requests relating to academies and 666 relating to free schools between the first quarterly period of 2010 and third quarterly period of 2015. Of these, 854 and 470 respectively were answered within the 20 working day time limit.The Department is not able to determine how many of these requests were related to the opening of particular schools without incurring disproportionate cost.

Department for Education: Freedom of Information

Nic Dakin: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how much her Department has spent on lawyers in cases relating to the release of departmental documents under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 in each year since 2010.

Nick Gibb: Legal costs relating to Freedom of Information are not held centrally by the Department and the cost of determining these over the past five years would exceed the disproportionate limit. The costs of internal lawyers’ time are not held in such a way that they can be separately identified.

Children: Protection

Frank Field: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if her Department will commission research on the (a) reasons for and (b) effects of the different thresholds for investigations to be initiated under section 17 and section 47 of the Children Act 1989.

Edward Timpson: Holding answer received on 18 January 2016



Sections 17 and 47 of the Children Act 1989 have different purposes. Section 17 defines a child as being “in need” if they are unlikely to achieve or maintain a reasonable standard of health or development without the provision of services by the local authority, or their health and development are likely to be impaired (or further impaired), without the provision of such services, or they are disabled. Under this section, local authorities are required to provide a range and level of services appropriate to those children’s needs.Section 47 places a duty on local authorities to make enquiries to decide whether and what action should be taken to safeguard the child from “significant harm”. This is the point at which compulsory intervention in a child’s life is justified.Each local authority will interpret the definitions at Section 17 and Section 47 and set local thresholds, agreed by Local Safeguarding Children Boards, through their statutory function under the Children Act 2004, in discussion with all partners. This function is set out in Regulation 5 of the Local Safeguarding Children Boards Regulations 2006, as follows:1(a) developing policies and procedures for safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children in the area of the authority, including policies and procedures in relation to:(i) the action to be taken where there are concerns about a child’s safety or welfare, including thresholds for intervention;This is also set out in the Working Together to Safeguard Children, 2015 statutory guidance. Ofsted looks at thresholds as part of its inspection process and considers whether the levels set locally are appropriate. It expects good Local Safeguarding Children Boards to monitor and understand the application of thresholds locally.

Department for Education: Freedom of Information

Nic Dakin: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what recent assessment she has made of her Department's performance in adhering to the statutory time limit for responding to Freedom of Information requests.

Nick Gibb: The Secretary of State publishes statistics on the Department’s performance in responding to Freedom of Information (FOI) requests, including on timeliness. These can be found at the following link:https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/government-foi-statistics.

Social Mobility and Child Poverty Commission

Owen Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, when her Department plans to respond to the recommendations in the Social Mobility and Child Poverty Commission's 2015 State of the Nation Annual Report.

Mr Sam Gyimah: Holding answer received on 18 January 2016



The government is grateful to the Commission for its wide-ranging and comprehensive report and will study the findings and recommendations very carefully. As the Prime Minister announced on 11 January, we are committed to publishing a Life Chances Strategy in the Spring.The Strategy will set out a comprehensive plan to fight disadvantage and extend opportunity, including a wider set of non-statutory measures on root causes of child poverty such as family breakdown, problem debt, and drug and alcohol dependency. The government looks forward to working with the new Social Mobility Commission, which will continue to play a very important role in the drive to promote and increase social mobility in the years to come.

Department for Education: Freedom of Information

Nic Dakin: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many requests under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 that were initially refused by her Department were subsequently granted in each year since 2010.

Nick Gibb: Quarterly and annual statistics on Freedom of Information requests received by a number of central government monitored bodies (including all departments of state), including the number and outcomes of internal reviews of FOI responses, are published by the Cabinet Office at: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/government-foi-statistics.

Chief Social Worker for Children and Families

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will publish the diary of engagements of the Chief Social Worker for Children since 1 January 2015.

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, which children's services departments have been visited by the Chief Social Worker for Children since her appointment.

Edward Timpson: The Department does not publish the diaries of staff members. Diaries often contain sensitive information and releasing them could impact both on the policy making process and the willingness of officials to meet with particular groups if this information were to be freely available.Since her appointment, the Chief Social Worker for Children and Families, Isabelle Trowler, has visited the following local authorities: Bexley; Birmingham; Blackpool; Calderdale; Cambridgeshire; Camden; Central Bedfordshire; Cheshire West and Chester; Derbyshire; Doncaster; Enfield; East Sussex; Gloucestershire; Greenwich; Hackney; Hammersmith and Fulham; Haringey; Hull; Islington; Kensington and Chelsea; Kent; Kingston on Thames; Kirklees; Lancashire; Leeds; Liverpool; Manchester; North Lincolnshire; Northamptonshire; Portsmouth; Redcar and Cleveland; Richmond upon Thames; Rotherham; Sheffield; Slough; Solihull; Staffordshire; Tower Hamlets; Wandsworth; Westminster; Wigan; Wolverhampton; Worcestershire; and York.As well as visiting local authorities, the Chief Social Worker meets with representatives of many children’s services departments.

Department for Culture, Media and Sport

Lotteries

Oliver Colvile: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what support lottery regulations permit to be given to gaming, live digital and other features of cultural technology.

Tracey Crouch: National Lottery funding supports projects within the four good causes - arts; sport; heritage; voluntary and community. The arts good cause covers a broad range of arts and media forms and there are no specific regulations against funding gaming, live digital and other features of cultural technology. Decisions on which individual projects to fund are made by the twelve Lottery distribution bodies.

Film

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what steps his Department is taking to (a) encourage the training of new behind the scenes production staff and (b) promote Britain's position in the global film industry.

Mr Edward Vaizey: The Government announced up to £16 million in match funding in 2013 and a further £4m in 2015 to support skills in the Creative Industries, including training for behind the scenes production staff. The UK has one of the most generous film tax reliefs in the world. In 2014-15, the Government paid out £251 million in film tax relief, which attracted over £1 billion in investment to the UK last year. In 2015-16, the Government is also providing over £23 million in grant in aid alongside a projected £49 million in Lottery funding to support Britain’s position in the global film industry.

Sports: Young People

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, whether he has made an assessment of the effect of the decline in the broadcast of free-to-air sport on the accessibility of sport to young people.

Tracey Crouch: Our 'Sporting Future' strategy, published in December, 2015 highlighted the importance of sport being available for the public to enjoy, whether live or on television, radio or online. We encourage National Governing Bodies and other rights holders to sign up to the accessibility principle of the Sport and Recreation Alliance's Voluntary Code of Conduct on the Broadcasting of Major Sporting Events, which ensures as wide access as possible to free to air sport.

World War I: Anniversaries

Dan Jarvis: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what progress has been made on the Government's plans to commemorate (a) the First World War and (b) the Battle of the Somme.

Tracey Crouch: Since the Prime Minister set out plans for the Centenary in October 2012 the Government has delivered highly successful commemorative events for the start of the First World War and the Gallipoli Campaign.In May 2016, commemorative events will be held for the Battle of Jutland, and in July 2016, we will mark the centenary of the Battle of the Somme by holding national events at the Thiepval Memorial in France, at Manchester Cathedral, and at Heaton Park. In addition, a national vigil will be held at Westminster Abbey, and there will also be vigils in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.Other centenary activities such as the UK Tour of the “poppies” and the national repair and conservation of War memorials also continue, more details can be found athttps://www.gov.uk/government/topical-events/first-world-war-centenary

Broadband: Rural Areas

Chi Onwurah: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what proportion of the planned budget for the rural satellite broadband voucher scheme has been spent.

Mr Edward Vaizey: Launched in December 2015, the basic broadband subsidy scheme, along with the rollout of both commercially and publicly funded superfast broadband, fulfils the Government's commitment to ensure every home and business in the UK can access speeds of at least 2 Mbps. Up to £60 million of funding has been made available to support the roll out of the scheme across the UK, which runs to December 2017. To date, the total value of the installations ordered is £8,400

Sports: Facilities

Greg Mulholland: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, pursuant to the Answer of 12 January 2016 to Question 21036, what funding was allocated by Sport England in each parliamentary constituency in each year since 2010.

Tracey Crouch: Sport England National Lottery grant investment, broken down by constituency, is publicly available on Sport England’s website and can be found here: www.sportengland.org/funding/investments-weve-made.

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

Fishing Catches

Alex Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many stocks for which the UK has quotas were fished (a) at and (b) below maximum sustainable yield on the last date for which figures are available.

George Eustice: The UK’s provisional assessment is that in 2016, 24 stocks will be fished at or below maximum sustainable yield (MSY). A significant majority of these will be fished (a) at MSY rather than (b) below it; information on the specific stocks will be placed in the House Library.

Floods: Insurance

Caroline Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether payments made under the Flood Re insurance scheme are subject to any provisions to ensure that homes are (a) rebuilt or repaired to meet standards for improved flood resistance and resilience and (b) not rebuilt on flood plains; and if she will make a statement.

Rory Stewart: There is no such duty in relation to payments made by Flood Re. However, Flood Re will consider plans to incentivise the take up of resilience measures through its published transition plan and the insurance industry have committed to discuss options for resilient or resistant repairs as part of the repair process in response to the recent flooding.The Flood Re Scheme is only available to properties built before 2009. This cut-off date recognises that new housing development should be located to avoid flood risk, or where development in a flood risk area is necessary, it should be designed to be safe, appropriately resilient to flooding and not increase flood risk elsewhere, in line with the national planning policies in place.

Motor Vehicles: Exhaust Emissions

Daniel Zeichner: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what proportion of nitrogen dioxide pollution in the UK is caused by emissions from private cars.

Rory Stewart: We assess emissions in terms of nitrogen oxides (NOx) rather than nitrogen dioxide (NO2) because the proportion of NO2 varies significantly across vehicle types. Passenger cars (including both petrol and diesel vehicles) contribute 29% of the total emissions of NOx in the UK. Passenger cars contribute 45% of NOX emissions from road transport.

Shipping: Exhaust Emissions

Huw Irranca-Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment the Government has made of the carbon emissions and air pollution from diesel shipping moored (a) off Enderby Wharf, Greenwich and (b) in other inshore UK waters.

Rory Stewart: Assessment of local air quality is a matter for Local Authorities, following statutory guidance set by central Government and the devolved administrations. Central Government assesses air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions at a UK level using the National Atmospheric Emissions Inventory.

Flood Control: Per Capita Costs

Greg Mulholland: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 11 January 2016 to Question 21375 on flooding control: per capita costs, what official data sets were used for her calculations in that Answer.

Rory Stewart: The Grant in Aid figures used in the calculations are based on the published six year capital programme. They can be found on the GOV.UK website at: www.gov.uk/government/publications/programme-of-flood-and-coastal-erosion-risk-management-schemes.Population figures are sourced from the Office of National Statistics data from the 2011 Census for England and Wales.

Agriculture: Lancashire

Rosie Cooper: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what estimate she has made of the value of the agricultural and horticultural industries to West Lancashire; and how many people were employed directly and through the supply chain in that industry in that area.

Rosie Cooper: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether her Department has estimated the cost to the agricultural and horticultural industry in West Lancashire of flooding in December 2015.

George Eustice: In 2014 the value of agricultural and horticultural output for the north-west of England was £1.96 billion and gross value added (contribution to economy) was £0.82 billion. In 2013, there were 12,198 commercial agricultural holdings in the north west region. The total farmed area on these holdings was approximately 909,000 hectares and the agricultural labour force was made up of almost 32,000 people, 0.94% of the workforce in the region.Within West Lancashire in 2013 there were 406 commercial agricultural holdings. The total farmed area on these holdings was approximately 23,000 hectares and the agricultural labour force was made up of almost 2,300 people.Although farmers in West Lancashire are still uncovering the full extent of the damage caused by the recent flooding, we understand some arable producers have been badly affected. Under the Farm Recovery Fund these farmers will be able to receive funding towards the cost of restoring their agricultural land to the state it was in before it was flooded. Applications for this funding should be submitted by 1 April 2016.

Oilseed Rape: Neonicotinoids

Mr Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, when she expects the two emergency authorisations covering the use of two neonicotinoid pesticides on a small proportion of the UK oilseed rape crop to expire; and if she will make a statement.

George Eustice: Both emergency authorisations expired on 20 November 2015.

Pollinators

Mr Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what estimate her Department has made of the (a) economic contribution of pollinator activity across the UK and (b) potential last economic value if pollinator populations continue to decline at present rates; and if she will make a statement.

George Eustice: Bees and other pollinators play an essential role in our £100 billion food industry. In 2014, Defra published an independent review of the evidence on the status and value of pollinators[1]. The review estimated the total value of all pollinators through the value of insect-pollinated crops in the UK as approximately £600 million, updating estimates of around £400 million in previous Defra-funded research. It also concluded that there was insufficient data to calculate the ‘lost economic value’ of ongoing or likely future changes in pollinator populations.[1] http://randd.defra.gov.uk/Default.aspx?Menu=Menu&Module=More&Location=None&Completed=0&ProjectID=18916

Department for Energy and Climate Change

Department of Energy and Climate Change: European Union

Mr Bernard Jenkin: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, how many staff in her Department are working on matters related to (a) European policy, (b) the future of Europe, (c) reform of the EU, (d) the renegotiation of the UK's relationship with the EU, (e) the EU referendum and (f) the consequences of the EU referendum; how many full-time equivalent staff are working on such matters; what the (i) staff and (ii) other cost of such work is; what proportion of that work is undertaken by such staff on (A) communications, (B) strategy and (C) policy; whether her Department has established any specific unit or units to deal with those matters; to whom such (1) staff and (2) units report; whether her Department has issued guidelines to staff on those matters; and if she will make a statement.

Andrea Leadsom: The Government is fighting hard to fix the aspects of our EU membership that cause so much frustration in Britain - so we get a better deal for our country and secure our future. Departments are appropriately resourced to support the Government's priorities in Europe, including the renegotiation and referendum.

Renewable Energy: Technology

Caroline Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, with reference to page 86 of her Department's publication, Review of the Feed-in Tariffs Scheme: Government response, published in December 2015, what work her Department is undertaking to better understand the whole-system impacts of different electricity technologies; when she plans to complete and publish such work; and if she will make a statement.

Andrea Leadsom: DECC recognises the importance of considering the whole system impacts (both costs and benefits) of different electricity technologies when formulating future government policy, since it is a crucial element in delivering secure, clean and affordable energy to consumers.In order to continue to improve its evidence base in this area and inform future policy developments, DECC has commissioned a project on the Whole System Impacts of Electricity Generation Technologies on the electricity system. This project will improve DECC’s understanding of what these system costs are (for example, the impact of electricity technologies on wider system balancing actions and networks requirements), as well as improve DECC’s modelling capability to quantify these system costs and their dynamics. The project covers both conventional and low-carbon large- and small-scale technologies.This project is currently ongoing and given the complex modelling involved, it requires a rigorous quality assurance process to ensure the analysis is robust. A report will be published in due course.Once this project is completed, DECC will be able to better quantify system costs to inform policy decisions. Any future policy development, such as future renewable support, will be informed by the improved evidence base developed through this project.

Chernobyl

Andrew Gwynne: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, which areas of the UK show recent evidence of residual radiation from the Chernobyl disaster.

Andrea Leadsom: Levels of radioactivity in the environment, including residual radioactive fallout from the Chernobyl disaster, are monitored jointly by the environmental and food standards agencies for England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. Results are reported annually in the Radioactivity in Food and the Environment (RIFE) series which is available on the www.gov.uk website. The latest RIFE report confirmed that levels of residual contamination from Chernobyl are negligible even in the areas of the UK that received the largest fallout, namely upland areas where heavy rain fell in the immediate aftermath of the disaster.

Cabinet Committees: Floods

Holly Lynch: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, whether she attends the Cabinet committee on flooding.

Andrea Leadsom: The Cabinet Office regularly publishes lists of Cabinet Committees and their membership on their website - https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/the-cabinet-committees-system-and-list-of-cabinet-committees.

Energy: Prices

Dr Liam Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, if her Department will liaise with Ofgem in taking steps to ensure that savings accrued to suppliers are returned to consumers in lower prices.

Andrea Leadsom: Holding answer received on 14 January 2016



The government expects suppliers to pass through to consumers any reductions in the costs of supplying energy.Strong competition is key to ensuring that prices are kept as low as possible and reductions in the costs of supplying energy are passed through to consumers. There are now 34 companies supplying gas and electricity to households, compared to 13 in 2010.The Government has worked with the industry to cut the time it takes to switch from 5 weeks to 17 days. We are now working with Ofgem to deliver reliable next day switching by 2018.Smart meters will make the energy market more accessible, and energy consumers will feel more in control. This increased engagement will drive a more vibrant and competitive market.Ofgem has referred the energy markets to the Competition and Markets Authority for investigation. The Government has committed to acting on the Competition and Market Authority’s recommendations which are due to be published by June this year.

Department for Energy and Climate Change: UK Membership of EU

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what contingency arrangements her Department has made for the eventuality of a majority leave vote in the upcoming EU referendum.

Andrea Leadsom: I refer my hon. Friend to the answer given to him by my rt. hon. Friend the Prime Minister on 14 January 2016 to Question 21952:http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2016-01-11/21952/.

Electricity: Coastal Areas

David T. C. Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, which port, harbour and coastal locations in the UK have a National Grid connection enabling a power plant connection of over 300MW.

Andrea Leadsom: Connections to the high voltage electricity transmission are a matter for National Grid, in its role as System Operator.National Grid publishes information on current and future transmission capability, generation connections and development timescales in its annual Electricity Ten Year Statement and Customer Connection Interface Tool. These documents are available at:http://www2.nationalgrid.com/UK/Industry-information/Future-of-Energy/Electricity-Ten-Year-Statement/

International Climate Fund

Rushanara Ali: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, how much funding her Department received from the International Climate Fund in (a) 2012, (b) 2013, (c) 2014 and (d) 2015.

Andrea Leadsom: The Department of Energy and Climate Change was allocated the following annual budgets as its share of the International Climate Fund:2011/12 = £140m2012/13 = £240m2013/14 = £400m2014/15 = £220m2015/16 = £329m

International Climate Fund

Rushanara Ali: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, how the methodology for prioritising which countries receive funding from the International Climate Fund has been set; and what plans she has to ensure this methodology is regularly reviewed for best practice.

Andrea Leadsom: The International Climate Fund supports projects in developing countries which are eligible for Official Development Assistance. The International Climate Fund originally set a priority list of 32 countries for bilateral programming; this includes the 28 countries prioritised by the Department for International Development for overall aid spending, plus some additional countries with high or rapidly growing greenhouse gas emissions.The Independent Commission for Aid Impact report on the International Climate Fund provides a list of these countries (Annex 4 of their report):http://icai.independent.gov.uk/wp-content/uploads/ICAI-Report-International-Climate-Fund.pdfFunding from the International Climate Fund has not been limited to these countries and other factors such as availability of value for money projects and strategic fit with the objectives of the fund are also considered.Priority countries for ICF funding will be reviewed as part of the strategic discussions taking place on the next phase of UK climate finance, which will commence from 2016/17.

International Climate Fund

Rushanara Ali: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, how many projects her Department is currently managing that have been developed with funding from the International Climate Fund.

Andrea Leadsom: The Department of Energy and Climate Change is currently supporting 21 projects through the International Climate Fund. The majority of these projects are managed by delivery partners such as multilateral development banks and involve donors additional to the UK.

EU Emissions Trading Scheme

Rushanara Ali: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what recent discussions she has had with her EU counterparts on reforming the EU Emissions Trading Scheme.

Andrea Leadsom: The Government strongly supports reform to strengthen the EU Emissions Trading System (ETS). Ministers and officials have discussed EU ETS reform recently with counterparts in other Member States, as well as with members of the European Parliament, the European Commission and industry representatives. At the recent COP21 climate conference in Paris in December 2015 Ministers also participated in a session to promote the EU ETS and strengthen links to other national and international ETS.

Fracking

Huw Irranca-Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, if she will ensure that any exploitation of shale gas in the UK is (a) a substitute for, and not in addition to, imported gas and (b) does not lead to an increase in carbon emissions.

Andrea Leadsom: The shale gas resources beneath Britain have the potential to bolster our energy security and add new sources of home-grown supply to our real diversity of imports.We are committed to reducing carbon emissions by 80% by 2050 and natural gas, the cleanest of fossil fuels, will help us in meeting that target. Reports[1] have shown that the carbon footprint of electricity from UK produced shale gas would likely be significantly less than coal and also lower than imported Liquefied Natural Gas.This will be especially significant as we displace energy generation from high carbon fuels as coal.[1] Mackay-Stone report (requested by DECC), Potential Greenhouse Gas Emissions Associated with Shale Gas Extraction and Use, Sept 2013

Natural Gas: Storage

Harry Harpham: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, how many days of gas supply are available from the gas storage facilities.

Andrea Leadsom: The UK has a high level of gas security, provided through our diverse range of gas supplies, including domestic production, pipeline imports from Norway and mainland EU, Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) from global markets and storage. It is therefore misleading to talk about gas storage in terms of ‘days available’ because of this mix. Both physical system constraints and market processes mean storage could only be one part of the overall gas mix on any winter’s day.Total gas infrastructure in GB can currently deliver around 700 million cubic meters a day, which is more than double average winter daily demand. Average winter demand is 290 million cubic meters a day and while storage amounts fluctuate, it is currently around 3500 million cubic meters.

Carbon Sequestration

Harry Harpham: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, whether developers of carbon capture and storage projects can access funding through the Levy Control Framework.

Andrea Leadsom: Generators who meet the requirements set out in the Contracts for Difference (Definition of Eligible Generator) Regulations 2014 are eligible for a Contract for Difference, funded through the Levy Control Framework. Contracts for Difference for CCS are awarded on direction of the Secretary of State. Whether or not the Secretary of State would consider awarding a CfDs to a specific project would be subject to the circumstances at the time, including factors such as the value for money and affordability of a project and competing demands on available budgets.

Coal Fired Power Stations: Closures

Harry Harpham: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, which coal-fired power stations her Department expects to close before 2020.

Andrea Leadsom: Decisions to close power stations are taken by their owners based on market conditions. The owners of Longannet, Lynemouth and Ferrybridge have announced their intention to stop generating by March 2016. The owners of Eggborough (2GW) have announced they may close by March 2016. Following the European Commission’s approval of state aid in December 2015 followed by its sale, EPH are converting Lynemouth to biomass. We expect this process to take about 18 months.

Renewable Energy

Jim Shannon: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what steps she is taking to fund the development of clean energy sources.

Andrea Leadsom: This parliament we intend to hold three new Contracts for Difference allocation rounds to support large scale renewables. The revised Feed-in Tariff scheme will support small-scale renewable projects, providing around £2bn funding for renewables over the lifetime of the new FIT agreements. This is in addition to the ongoing support we are already providing through these schemes and though the Renewable Obligation which has allowed us to more than treble our renewable capacity since 2010.

Department of Energy and Climate Change: Public Expenditure

Teresa Pearce: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, if she will publish the methodologies and assumptions behind the projected overspend of levy control framework spending through to 2020.

Andrea Leadsom: Many of the assumptions that underpin Levy Control Framework (LCF) forecasts are already in the public domain. Strike prices for signed Contracts for Difference are available on the Low Carbon Contracts Company website. Renewable Obligation and Feed in Tariff Scheme deployment data is published monthly on the Renewable Energy Planning Database and Ofgem’s website respectively. The recent publication of the Renewables Obligation 2016/17 outlined the methodology for deriving some of the LCF’s key assumptions. A similar approach is taken for FiTs and CfD assumptions, and with interim adjustments made to reflect the latest commercial, technical, and policy specific information available to DECC.We must make a number of considerations before releasing further information, including to what extent disaggregating data would allow commercially sensitive information to be discoverable, and we will publish an updated set of LCF projections as well as the assumptions underpinning the latest forecasts in due course.

Coal Fired Power Stations

Harry Harpham: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what steps the Government is taking to phase out the use of coal-fired power stations by 2025.

Andrea Leadsom: We will launch a consultation shortly on proposals to close all unabated coal-fired power stations. Our consultation will set out proposals to close coal by 2025, and restrict its use from 2023. If we were to take this step, we would be one of the first developed countries to deliver on a commitment to take coal off the system.

Wind Power

Richard Burden: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what assessment she has made of the potential effect of the removal of eligibility for Renewables Obligations Certificates for onshore wind on businesses which are considering developing wind farms.

Andrea Leadsom: The Government was elected with a commitment to end subsidies for new onshore wind projects. Onshore wind has made a valuable contribution to the UK energy mix in recent years but has now reached the point where there is enough capacity in the pipeline for the UK to meet its 2020 renewable commitments. Having proposed early closure of the RO to onshore wind, we conducted an engagement exercise to understand better the views of stakeholders on the proposal. To protect investor confidence a grace period was proposed in June 2015, and we subsequently amended this in response to stakeholder feedback over the summer, for example to take account of a possible investment hiatus whilst the measures pass through Parliament. We consider this will strike the right balance between consumer and industry interests.An impact Assessment was published whilst the Bill was in the House of Lords that set out the potential impacts of our proposals. This can be viewed online at:http://www.parliament.uk/documents/impact-assessments/IA15-007F.pdf

Mobile Homes: Energy

Mr Christopher Chope: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, pursuant to the Answer submitted to Question 21401, what new or changed policies her Department has implemented as a result of the evidence submitted.

Andrea Leadsom: The Department for Energy and Climate Change has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Mobile Homes: Energy

Mr Christopher Chope: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, how her Department plans to ensure that residents of park homes have access to smart meters; and if she will make a statement.

Andrea Leadsom: The ways in which park home residents are supplied with energy and billed for its use, vary, usually reflecting the tenancy arrangements in place at park sites. Park home residents who are metered from the mains network and have a direct relationship with their energy provider fall within the scope of the smart meter rollout and should be offered a smart meter by the end of 2020.The supply of electricity to park home residents through a private network is not subject to the electricity supply licensing regime. This is often where the park home site sells energy on to residents. Park home owners have responsibility for any secondary metering equipment and in these situations may make the decision to install smart meters for their tenants.Park home sites that supply electricity to their residents should be offered a smart meter, as small non-domestic business sites are covered by the rollout.

Mobile Homes: Energy

Mr Christopher Chope: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, pursuant to the Answer of 12 January 2016 to Question 21401, what her Department's policy is on energy issues affecting park homes.

Andrea Leadsom: The Department for Energy and Climate Change has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Carbon Sequestration

Harry Harpham: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what discussions she has had with the European Commission on the future of the White Rose Carbon Capture and Storage project.

Andrea Leadsom: Officials in the Department hold regular discussions with Commission officials on Carbon Capture and Storage, including the future of the White Rose project.

Nuclear Power Stations: Security

Paul Flynn: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, pursuant to the Answer of 15 September 2015 to Question 9021 and with reference to the Oxford Research Group, Remote Control project report: Hostile drones, published 11 January 2015, if the Office for Nuclear Regulation will review security at nuclear power stations.

Andrea Leadsom: Licensees of UK nuclear sites are required by ONR to demonstrate that they have resilience against a range of external threat scenarios. These scenarios are updated regularly considering developments in technology and other areas. The airspace over UK nuclear licensed sites is restricted by the Air Navigation (Restriction of Flying) (Nuclear Installations) Regulations 2007. These impose restricted airspace of a radius between 0.5 and 2 nautical miles and to a height of between 1000 and 2400 feet above mean sea level around the centre of those nuclear licensed sites listed in Schedule 2 of the Regulations. Airspace usage in the UK is regulated by the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA).

Wind Power

Mr Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what recent estimate her Department has made of the square mileage of the UK which has (a) permanent wind farms installed, (b) has been granted planning permission for wind farm installation and (c) is being considered for wind farm installation; and if she will make a statement.

Andrea Leadsom: The renewable electricity planning database (REPD - https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/renewable-energy-planning-database-monthly-extract) extracts data on planning from authorities across the country but it does not collate information on the square mileage of projects

Attorney General

Prosecutions

Grahame Morris: To ask the Attorney General, how many people have been prosecuted under the (a) Communications Act 2003, (b) Malicious Communications Act 1988 and (c) Protection from Harassment Act 1997 for offences committed online.

Robert Buckland: The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) does not maintain a central record to show the number of prosecutions involving defendants prosecuted specifically for criminal activity on-line. This information could only be obtained by examining CPS case files, which would incur disproportionate cost.

Prosecutions

Grahame Morris: To ask the Attorney General, how many people have been prosecuted under the (a) Communications Act 2003, (b) Malicious Communications Act 1988 and (c) Protection from Harassment Act 1997 in each of the last five years.

Robert Buckland: The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) does not maintain a central record of the number of defendants prosecuted for offences brought by way of the Communications Act 2003, the Malicious Communications Act 1988 and the Protection from Harassment Act 1997. This information could only be obtained by examining CPS case files, which would incur disproportionate cost.However, information is held identifying the number of offences during the past five years in which a prosecution commenced and reached a first hearing at magistrates’ courts, rather than the number of defendants prosecuted, this is detailed in the following table.YearCommunications Act 2003Malicious Communications Act 1988Protection from Harassment Act 19972010-20112,9161,27316,7072011-20123,1251,30118,5882012-20132,9201,25019,3192013-20142,1341,21022,6682014-20152,5561,58626,326Data Source: CPS Case Management Information SystemThere is no indication of the final prosecution outcome, of if the charged offence was the substantive charge at the time of finalisation. It is also often the case that an individual defendant is charged with more than one offence.

Members: Correspondence

Nick Thomas-Symonds: To ask the Attorney General, if he will review Norman James' case as raised in the letter from the hon. Member for Torfaen of 15 June 2015 to take account of recent developments in that case.

Robert Buckland: My office has no plans to conduct a review into this matter. The specific allegations raised by Mr James are ones that would be more appropriate to the police to investigate rather than the Crown Prosecution Service for which I am answerable to this House and which in any event does not have any investigatory powers.

Wales Office

Wales Office: Information Officers

Diana Johnson: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, how many press and public relations staff are employed by his Department; how many of these employees are paid more than (a) £50,000 and (b) £100,000; and what the total expenditure was on press and public relations by his Department in the most recent year for which figures are available.

Alun Cairns: Four staff members of the Wales Office communications team deal with press and public relations issues as part of their roles. Two staff are paid more than (a) £50,000 but none are paid more than (b) £100,000. The total expenditure on press and public relations for the full financial year 2014/15 was £306,526.

Wales Office: UK Membership of EU

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, what contingency arrangements his Department has made for the eventuality of a majority leave vote in the upcoming EU referendum.

Stephen Crabb: I refer the hon Gentleman to the answer given by my Rt hon Friend the Prime Minister on 14 January 2016.

Welsh Language: Hearing Impairment

Susan Elan Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, if he will meet the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport to discuss access to Welsh subtitling for learners and people with accessibility needs.

Stephen Crabb: I have regular discussions with the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, including on issues related to the Welsh language.Ofcom places a quota on S4C to subtitle 53% of its output. The Television Access Services report for the first six months of 2015 published on 22 October 2015 states that S4C provided subtitles on 78% of required programmes against its quota of 53%. The full report can be found here:http://stakeholders.ofcom.org.uk/market-data-research/market-data/tv-sector-data/tv-access-services-reports/tv-access-services-2015The Ofcom code does not specify in which language the subtitles are provided and the number of programmes carrying subtitles in Welsh is a matter for S4C.

Ministry of Justice

Prison Service: Bureaucracy

Andrew Stephenson: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what steps his Department is taking to reduce the time spent on paperwork by prison officers.

Andrew Selous: An error has been identified in the written answer given on 18 January 2016.The correct answer should have been:

We are closing ageing and ineffective prisons and investing in a modern, efficient prison estate which rehabilitates criminals.Parliamentary question answered in error. The correct answer to this question will be updated to reflect this in due course.Better rehabilitation will help reduce reoffending, cut crime and improve public safety.

Andrew Selous: We are closing ageing and ineffective prisons and investing in a modern, efficient prison estate which rehabilitates criminals.Parliamentary question answered in error. The correct answer to this question will be updated to reflect this in due course.Better rehabilitation will help reduce reoffending, cut crime and improve public safety.

Civil Law: Advisory Services

Andy Slaughter: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, with reference to the second bullet point of page 26 of the report, entitled Getting it right in social welfare law, published by the Low Commission in March 2015, what assessment his Department has made of the potential merits of the Commission's recommendation.

Mr Shailesh Vara: The Ministry of Justice welcomes the work done by the Low Commission in producing its reports, and notes its recommendation on Alternative Dispute Resolution. As part of our work to reform the courts we are considering how to make processes speedier and more accessible.

Civil Law: Advisory Services

Andy Slaughter: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what assessment his Department has made of the feasibility of the recommendation of the Low Commission to establish a national advice and legal support fund funded through annual contributions from his Department, the Cabinet Office, the Big Lottery Fund and the Department for Work and Pensions.

Mr Shailesh Vara: The Ministry of Justice welcomes the work done by the Low Commission in producing its reports and recommendations, and we recognise the importance of advice being available in all contexts.As the Justice Secretary said in June, we want to create a one nation justice system, and we are considering how this can be taken forward.

Personal Injury

Andy Slaughter: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what steps he plans to take to ensure new litigants in person as a result of changes to personal injury laws and procedures announced in the Spending Review and Autumn Statement 2015 are able to meet the requirements of the personal injury portal.

Andy Slaughter: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what assessment he made of the potential effect on government revenues of changes to personal injury law and procedure announced in the Spending Review and Autumn Statement 2015 before announcing those changes; and if he will make a statement.

Andy Slaughter: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what assessment he made of the potential effect on court fee income of the announcement in the Spending Review and Autumn Statement 2015 on changes to personal injury laws and procedure before making that announcement; and if he will make a statement.

Andy Slaughter: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what assessment he has made of the effect of the number of court staff and resources required in the cases involving litigants in personal injury claims of changes to personal injury laws and procedure announced in the Spending Review and Autumn Statement 2015; and if he will make a statement.

Andy Slaughter: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what assessment he has made of the potential effect on court fees income of the changes to personal injury law and procedure announced in the Spending Review and Autumn Statement 2015; and if he will make a statement.

Dominic Raab: The Government will consult on the detail of the new reforms in due course. The consultation will be accompanied by an impact assessment.

Northumbria Community Rehabilitation Company

Bridget Phillipson: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, when his Department last audited the management of Northumbria Probation Service by Sodexo.

Andrew Selous: We regularly review the operations of each Community Rehabilitation Company to make sure they fulfil their contractual commitments to maintain service delivery, reduce reoffending, protect the public and deliver value for money to the taxpayer. An operational assurance audit of Northumbria Community Rehabilitation Company was completed in June 2015.

Bristol Prison

Thangam Debbonaire: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, whether his Department plans to close HM Prison Bristol.

Andrew Selous: On 9 November 2015, the Chancellor and Secretary of State announced their intention to build a prison estate which allows prisoners to be rehabilitated, thereby enabling them to turn away from a life of crime. This will involve building nine new prisons and closing old and inefficient prisons.No decisions have yet been made on which prisons will be closed.

Human Trafficking

Mark Field: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many prosecutions for human trafficking resulted in a conviction between 1 August 2015 and 1 January 2016; and how many orders made for victim compensation as a result of such convictions resulted in payments (a) by convicted traffickers and (b) at a cost to the public purse.

Mike Penning: Statistics for prosecutions and convictions for 2015, including those for offences defined as human trafficking, are planned for publication in May 2016.Overall court proceedings data for offences defined as human trafficking in England and Wales from 2004 to 2014 are published here.https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/criminal-justice-system-statistics-quarterly-december-2014The Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority cannot provide data on the compensation it has awarded to victims of a particular crime type. This is because it awards compensation in line with the Criminal Injuries Compensation Scheme tariff of injuries rather than the type of incident that led to those injuries.

Crime: Victims

Keir Starmer: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what steps he has taken to introduce a Victims' Law since May 2015.

Mike Penning: In the Queen’s Speech we made a commitment to bring forward measures to increase the rights of victims of crime. Further detail on our plans will be published in due course.

Medway Secure Training Centre

Andy Slaughter: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, pursuant to his contribution during the Urgent Question on 11 January 2016, Official Report, column 1573, when he was first made aware of the allegations made by Panorama about Medway Secure Training College.

Andrew Selous: The Secretary of State was first made aware of Panorama’s investigation on 30 December 2015. The Panorama team briefed the Secretary of State on the nature of their allegations on 6 January. The Youth Justice Board (YJB) was informed on 30 December 2015. To ensure the safety of the children at Medway, the YJB ceased placements into the centre with immediate effect. The YJB has increased their own monitoring at Medway and the independent advocacy service provided by Barnardo’s.

Contact Orders: Grandparents

Jake Berry: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many applications by grandparents for permission to apply for a child arrangement order were active in the final quarter of 2015.

Caroline Dinenage: This information could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.

Prisons: Pest Control

Andy Slaughter: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many times pest controllers have been called to each prison and youth estate in each of the last five years.

Andrew Selous: The information requested is not held centrally.

Money Laundering

Mr Charles Walker: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many people have been (a) prosecuted, (b) convicted and (c) given a prison sentence for money laundering in each of the last five years.

Mr Charles Walker: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what the (a) largest fine levied and (b) longest prison sentence handed down in respect of a conviction for money laundering has been in the last five years.

Andrew Selous: The Government is committed to ensuring that the UK has a robust anti-money laundering regime. The National Risk Assessment of money laundering and terrorist financing was published in 15 October 2015. This identified the threats and vulnerabilities we face in these areas. The Home Office will be publishing an Anti-Money Laundering Action Plan, setting out the steps that we will take to address them.Sentencing is a matter for our independent courts, which must follow relevant sentencing guidelines. The independent Sentencing Council is responsible for issuing sentencing guidelines and it issued a guideline on money laundering in 2014, (effective from October 2014), following full public consultation. This is the first sentencing guideline covering money laundering.The number of people prosecuted, convicted and given a custodial sentence for money laundering offences, in England and Wales, from 2010 to 2014 (the latest data available), can be viewed on the Ministry of Justice website at the following link:https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/criminal-justice-system-statistics-quarterly-december-2014 under “Criminal justice statistics outcomes by offence data tool”.The largest fine imposed on an offender sentenced at all courts for a money laundering offence, in England and Wales, between 2010 and 2014 (the latest year for which data was available) was £50,000. The longest immediate custodial sentence handed down to an offender sentenced at all courts for a money laundering offence, in England and Wales, between 2010 and 2014 was 12 years.Court proceedings data for calendar year 2015 is planned for publication in May 2016.

Aiding and Abetting

Ruth Cadbury: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, whether the Government plans to review legislation on joint enterprise.

Mike Penning: Joint enterprise law has enabled some of the most serious offenders to be brought to justice. It ensures that if a crime is committed by two or more people, all those involved can potentially be charged and convicted of that offence.The Justice Committee made recommendations for a review of the law during the last Parliament, which the Government has been considering carefully.Ministers are also mindful that the Supreme Court is looking at a case which might change the way the law in this area is applied. The Government will decide how to proceed after the Court has delivered its judgment.

Community Rehabilitation Companies

Bridget Phillipson: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, which community rehabilitation companies have been placed on a formal remedial plan under their contract in each year since 2010; and what the outcome of those plans was in each case.

Andrew Selous: We monitor the performance of Community Rehabilitation Companies (CRCs) closely, to make sure they fulfil their contractual commitments to maintain service delivery, reduce reoffending, protect the public and deliver value for money to the taxpayer. No CRC has been placed on a formal Remedial Plan under the contract.

Prisons: Civil Disorder

Andy Slaughter: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how much funding was allocated to the (a) gold command and (b) Tornado Team in (i) 2010, (ii) 2014 and (iii) 2015; and what he expects such budgets to be in 2016.

Andrew Selous: The requested data is not held centrally and could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.

Trials

Tulip Siddiq: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, pursuant to the Answer of 18 December 2015 to Question 19715, what proportion of defendants in criminal cases (a) plead guilty before trial and (b) plead not guilty before trial.

Tulip Siddiq: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, pursuant to the Answer of 18 December 2015 to Question 19715, what proportion of defendants in criminal cases in the Crown Court who plead guilty did so before their trial began in each year between 2009 and 2013.

Mr Shailesh Vara: The table below provides the proportion of all defendants dealt with in trial cases at the Crown Court who pleaded guilty prior to trial, and the proportion who pleaded not guilty prior to trial.It has not been possible to answer this question for defendants in the magistrates’ courts as the methodology for producing the relevant magistrates data needs to be developed.Defendants dealt with in trial cases in the Crown Court in England and Wales by pleaYear1Total number of defendants2 dealt with in trial cases3Proportion of all defendants who pleaded guilty4 prior to trial5 as a proportion of all defendantsProportion of all defendants who pleaded not guilty6 prior to trial as a proportion of all defendants2009104,41869%29%2010112,70268%29%2011106,34368%30%201296,40967%31%201390,19567%30%201494,67267%30%Notes:1) The reporting period is defined by the date on which the defendant was dealt with.2) Defendants with more than one case will be counted more than once.3) Includes cases where no plea was entered, and where a guilty plea was entered during the trial, so the sum of the percentages does not equal 100%.4) Defendants who pleaded guilty to all counts.5) Defendants who pleaded guilty excluding those who pleaded guilty during trial.6) Defendants who pleaded not guilty to all counts, and also defendants who pleaded not guilty to some counts.  7) The percentages are calculated from unrounded numbers and may not add to 100%.

Medway Secure Training Centre

Andy Slaughter: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, if he will use his powers under clause 2, section 10 of the Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994 to appoint a crown servant to act as governor of the Medway Secure Training Centre.

Andrew Selous: Kent Police and Medway Council’s child protection team have launched an investigation into the allegations made about Medway Secure Training Centre (STC). The Ministry of Justice and Youth Justice Board will do everything we can to assist and support the investigation. Our immediate priority has been to make sure that the young people in custody at Medway are safe, which is why HM Inspectorate of Prisons and Ofsted visited the STC last week.The YJB have ceased placements into the STC with immediate effect. They have also increased their own monitoring at Medway and that of the independent advocacy service provided by Barnardo’s.We are currently considering how we can best ensure young people at Medway are in a safe, secure and rehabilitative environment and any further decisions will be announced in the normal way.

Special Educational Needs: Tribunals

Tulip Siddiq: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many appeals were heard by the First-Tier Tribunal (Special Educational Needs and Disability) in each year since 2009-10; how many such appeals found in favour of the appellant; and how many such cases concerned local authority non-compliance with their statutory obligations in relation to (a) education, health and care plans and (b) Local Offers.

Mr Shailesh Vara: The First-tier Tribunal - Special Educational Needs and Disability (SEND), administered by HM Courts & Tribunals Service, hears appeals against decisions of Local Authorities (LA) about how the special educational needs of children or young people should be met. SEND also considers parents’ or young persons’ claims of disability discrimination in schools.Information about the number of appeals heard, how many were found in favour of the appellant, and how many of such cases concerned LA non-compliance with their statutory obligations in relation to education, health and care plans is published by the Ministry of Justice in the Tribunals and Gender Recognition Statistics Quarterly. The data requested can be viewed at:https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/tribunals-statistics[1].SEND does not hear appeals against the content of Local Offers.[1] The only data which cannot be viewed here is the number of appeals against decisions about education, health and care plans which were found in favour of the appellant in 2014/15. There were 54 such appeals.

Prison Governors

Andy Slaughter: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many times has a prison governor (a) resigned, (b) been sacked and (c) left their position for any other reason in each year since 2010.

Andrew Selous: Information on the number of prison governors who have left their posts within the public sector Prison Service, broken down by reason for departure, between 2009/10 and 2014/15 are set out in the table below.Table: Headcount of Prison Governors Leaving Posts, 2009/10 to 2014/15YearDismissedResignedOther Leavers from Prison ServiceTransfer to Another Post Within Prison ServiceTotal Departures2009/10~~1040502010/11~101020402011/12~~2050702012/13~~~20302013/14~~~30402014/15~~~3030Total~1040190250All figures are rounded to the nearest 10, with numbers ending in 5 rounded to the nearest multiple of 20 to prevent systematic bias. As with all HR databases, extracts are taken at a fixed point in time to ensure consistency of reporting. However the database itself is dynamic, and where updates to the database are made late, subsequent to the taking of the extract, these updates will not be reflected in figures produced by the extract. For this reason, HR data is unlikely to be precisely accurate, and to present unrounded figures would be to overstate the accuracy of the figures. Rounding to 10 accurately depicts the level of certainty that is held with these figures.Totals are formed from unrounded parts prior to rounding. For this reason, rounded totals may not equal the sum of their rounded parts.~ denotes suppressed values of 5 or fewer. Low numbers are suppressed in conjunction with the rounding policy to prevent disclosure in accordance with the Data Protection Act, 1998.

Cabinet Office

Advisory Services: Finance

Andy Slaughter: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what assessment he has made of the implications for his policies of the evaluation and recommendations of the Law Commission on the Advice Services Transition Fund.

Mr Rob Wilson: The aim of the Advice Services Transition Fund (ASTF) was to support the sector to be able to respond with confidence to the challenges presented by the changing funding environment.The Fund was always intended to support time limited transformational activity. Cabinet Office is not in a position to commit longer-term funding to support the core-running costs of advice services. However, the fund has supported organisations to transition to more collaborative working. We will also be working with the Big Lottery Fund to ensure that learning is identified and shared across the advice services sector. This work aligns with recommendations outlined in the Low Commission report.

Advisory Services: Finance

Andy Slaughter: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether his Department plans to introduce a pilot scheme to evaluate the potential use of social impact bonds for the provision of advice services.

Mr Rob Wilson: As part of the spending review we committed £80m to a new social outcomes fund to support the creation of locally developed social impact bonds focused upon tackling a range of social problems. We will set out the issues that this fund will focus upon when it is launched later this year.

Cabinet Office: UK Membership of EU

Tim Loughton: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what contingency arrangements his Department has made for the eventuality of a majority leave vote in the upcoming EU referendum.

Matthew Hancock: I refer the Hon. Member to the answer given by my Rt Hon. Friend the Prime Minister on 14 January 2016 to UIN: 21952.

Cabinet Office: Buildings

Louise Haigh: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to the Autumn Statement and Summer Budget 2015, paragraph 2.172, what estimate he has made of the rent that the Cabinet Office will need to pay to the Government Property Unit for its own buildings.

Matthew Hancock: The Government Property Unit is working with departments to agree a detailed timeline for the transfer of assets and on the detail of implementation, including the finance and charging regime.

Government Property Unit

Louise Haigh: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to the Autumn Statement and Summer Budget 2015, paragraph 2.172, what the (a) annual income and (b) running costs of the Government Property Unit is.

Matthew Hancock: The Government Property Unit was established in 2010 to work with central government departments to drive savings across the central civil mandated estate. Since May 2010, we have reduced our Estate by 2 million square metres, saving over £750 million in running costs and generating nearly £1.8 billion in capital receipts.Funding was agreed at Spending Review for the work which the Government Property Unit is taking forward. This includes our Government Office Hubs Programme, which is driving a radical reshaping of the Civil Service office estate, the One Public Estate Programme which works with local authorities to deliver better services, achieve savings and deliver local growth including releasing land for new homes and jobs.We are also taking a more commercial approach to property through the creation of a New Property Model which will help drive better strategic oversight and management of the estate, and provide greater incentives for departments to rationalise the space they occupy.The Government Property Unit’s administrative running costs for the FY 2015/16 is forecast as £7.4m.

Government: Debt Collection

Louise Haigh: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what bids were received for the Debt Market Integrator contract.

Louise Haigh: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, which debt collection agencies are used by the Debt Market Integrator.

Louise Haigh: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what stakes are held in the Debt Market Integrator by private sector partners.

Matthew Hancock: The companies that bid to provide Debt Market Integrator services were as follows;Single Bidders:Price Waterhouse Coopers LLPCGI IT UK LtdCapita Business Services LtdHP Enterprise Services UK LtdSYNNEX Concentrix UK LtdTDX Group Ltdarvato AG Consortia:Equiniti Ltd/First Direct As of 12/01/ 2016 The debt collections agencies providing service for Indesser through the Debt Market Integrator contract are:Walker LoveRossendalesAkinikaAdvantisCCS CollectDrydensApexBluestonesFredsRossendalesWalker LoveMoorcroftPast DueCCI LegalThe private sector partner owns 75% equity in Indesser.

Zero Hours Contracts

Tim Farron: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many employees were on zero-hours contracts in each financial quarter since May 2010 in each (a) constituency and (b) region.

Mr Rob Wilson: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the Authority to reply.



UKSA Letter to Member - Zero Hour Contracts
(PDF Document, 204.06 KB)

Death: Children

Sadiq Khan: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what the five most common causes of death of children were in (a) England and Wales and (b) each London borough in (i) 2014, (ii) 2010, (iii) 2005 and (iv) 2000.

Mr Rob Wilson: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the Authority to reply.



Excel Attachment for Member - Causes of Death
(Excel SpreadSheet, 52.96 KB)




UKSA Letter to Member - Causes of Death
(PDF Document, 66.12 KB)

Suicide: Greater London

Sadiq Khan: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many (a) men and (b) women took their own life in each London borough in each year since 2010.

Mr Rob Wilson: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the Authority to reply.



UKSA Letter to Member - Taking own life
(PDF Document, 157.72 KB)

Population: Yorkshire and the Humber

Michael Dugher: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what forecast he has made of the change in population in (a) Barnsley East constituency, (b) Barnsley, (c) South Yorkshire and (d) Yorkshire and the Humber up to 2030.

Mr Rob Wilson: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the Authority to reply.



UKSA Letter to Member - Change to Population
(PDF Document, 71.2 KB)

Cabinet Papers

Louise Haigh: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what recent communications his Department has had with the National Archives on the release of Cabinet papers dated between 1986 and 1988.

Matthew Hancock: The Cabinet Office has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Cabinet Office: G4S

Andy Slaughter: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, which contracts with his Department G4S are currently bidding for.

Matthew Hancock: To ensure fair and open competition the Government does not publish the names of bidders during the tender process.Successful bidders for all central government contracts are published on Contracts Finder:https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/SearchSuccessful bidders for all Crown Commercial Service (CCS) contracts are published on the CCS web site:http://ccs-agreements.cabinetoffice.gov.uk/

Older Workers

Mr Gregory Campbell: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many people aged 65 and over have continued to work in each of the last two years.

Mr Rob Wilson: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the Authority to reply.



UKSA Letter to Member - over 65 and at work
(PDF Document, 115.51 KB)

Window Blinds: Safety

Jim Shannon: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many children have died due to accidents related to blind cords in each of the last five years.

Mr Rob Wilson: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the Authority to reply.



UKSA Letter to Member - Blind Cord Deaths
(PDF Document, 70.58 KB)

Suicide: Ethnic Groups

Sadiq Khan: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many recorded suicides there were by (a) men of black and minority ethnic background and (b) women of black and minority ethnic background in each London borough in each year since 2010.

Sadiq Khan: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many children in (a) England and Wales, (b) London and (c) each London borough died from asthma in each year since 2010.

Sadiq Khan: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many recorded suicides there were by (a) men under 18, (b) men aged 18 to 30, (c) men aged over 30, (d) women under 18, (e) women aged 18 to 30 and (f) women aged over 30 in each London borough in each year since 2010.

Mr Rob Wilson: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the Authority to reply.



Excel Attachment for Member - Suicide / Asthma
(Excel SpreadSheet, 25.63 KB)




UKSA Letter to Member - Suicide / Asthma
(PDF Document, 68.51 KB)

Cabinet Office: Public Expenditure

Louise Haigh: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, for what reason Cabinet Office spend over £25,000 has not been updated beyond December 2014.

Matthew Hancock: The Cabinet Office has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

House of Commons Commission

House of Commons: UK Membership of EU

Tim Loughton: To ask the hon. Member for Carshalton and Wallington representing the House of Commons Commission, what contingency arrangements the House of Commons Commission has made for the eventuality of a majority leave vote in the upcoming EU referendum.

Tom Brake: The House of Commons Commission has made no contingency arrangements in the eventuality of a majority leave vote in the upcoming EU referendum.